THE PERCEPTION CHANGER
The I-PACE Is The firm’s first fullelectric vehicle, but Is IT still A Jaguar?
IT’S been a fast-paced affair. By the end of day one on this launch in the south of Portugal, we’ve experienced the I-pace in stop-start city traffic, blasted along a stretch of motorway, waded through a stream, conquered a steep offroad course and raced around Algarve International Circuit. It’s an impressive set of challenges for any car, let alone an electric vehicle, to master. Eyebrows were raised when Jaguar first revealed the I-pace EV concept at the 2016 Los Angeles Auto Show. What about its heritage? What about a thumping supercharged V8 under the bonnet so synonymous with the brand? The vehicle-engineering manager, David Shaw, admitted even his team was initially sceptical about the idea. They’re all passionate converts now, though, because the I-pace represents the most elegant engineering solution in a time when emissions regulations and powertrain complexity are putting fossilfuel burning vehicles’ survival at risk.
Seeing the I-pace for the first time, parked outside the airport, what strikes me is how much bigger it is in the flesh. Chief exterior designer, Matthew Beaven, later passionately talks us through the flowing lines, revealing that the styling and engineering departments for once agreed
on the basics. The 22-inch wheels, for instance, are pushed to the corners to free up interior space. A compact electrical powertrain on each axle allows for a cab-forward design, with the aggressive Jaguar grille still on the nose but now directing most of the airflow out of the bonnet scoop to improve aerodynamics at the windscreen base.
The fact that the 90 kwh battery pack is housed underfloor between the axles raises the height of the occupant cell and air suspension can lift the body a further 50 mm, giving Jaguar the prerogative to class it as an SUV, even if the sleek shape and low roofline scream crossover. The striking but blunt rear has a roof spoiler to further aid aerodynamics and help keep the rear window clean without the need for a wiper; its effectiveness was proved later on a dirt-road section.
In the cabin, Jaguar has combined twin high-definition touchscreens and digital instruments with sleek design elements to create a futuristic dashboard dubbed the “flight deck”. Connected-car capability allows you to control many vehicle functions from your smartphone, including checking charge status, programming the climatic-control settings to condition the cabin for a future journey and opening the doors remotely.
Although it’s similar in length to the XE sedan, the occupant space is much larger thanks in part to that 2 990 mm wheelbase. As ever with a Jaguar, there’s a real sense of occasion in the cabin and the I-pace’s quality of materials, as well as fit and finish, are exceptional. Jaguar could not risk any rattles in its quietest cabin to date (we could even hear birds chattering when driving through towns).
Interestingly, the seating position is more sportscar than SUV because the floor is relatively high in relation to the seat squabs. This does hamper rear comfort, although legroom is acceptable. As there is no transmission tunnel, the cabin boasts a 10-litre central storage cabinet and further room under the floating climatecontrol shelf.
Starting the vehicle is as easy as hitting a button while keeping a foot on the brake with the dashboard lighting up and displaying the word “ready”. With twin electric motors (one on each axle) delivering a combined 298 kw and 696 N.m, exhilarating performance is a given. The vehicle’s acceleration belies the 2,2-tonne mass (the battery pack alone tips the scales at 600 kg) and this EV surges to the horizon, with a claimed 0-100 km/h time of 4,8 seconds. What the figures cannot convey, however, is the instant response to any flex of your right toe, especially in dynamic mode.
With one fixed-gear ratio from standstill to 200 km/h, there is no need to wait for a transmission to kick down, nor a turbo spooling up. No internal-combustion engine offers an equivalent rate of response. You can choose to either pick up speed in silence or opt for a synthesised soundtrack which can be described as a muted, futuristic V8 burble that surprisingly suits the application.
Braking is an interesting experience when the regenerative effort that charges the battery is set to high; in this mode, up to 0,2 G of braking force is possible simply by releasing the accelerator. The result is enough deceleration to avoid the brake pedal under normal driving, enabling single-pedal use that soon becomes second nature.
If the I-pace taking a dirt-road section in its stride was a surprise, imagine my shock when a Jaguar guide indicated a turn-off into an off-road section, starting with a shallow water crossing. Electricity and water are enemies, making the I-pace’s 500 mm wading depth even more remarkable. Next was a hill with loose dirt and, employing the highest suspension setting and the ASPC off-road mode, the EV easily clawed its way up the slope, with wheel spin minimised by precise torque control and electronic wizardry. Hill-descent control is mostly managed by the electric motors’ regenerative braking and doesn’t have the usual noisy retardation action you’d find on
traditional SUVS.
The final challenge of the day was at the racetrack and I expected us to do a few slaloms to showcase the vehicle’s relative dynamic ability, and not much more. Instead, I got four laps of the circuit at maximum attack; another confident move by Jaguar to prove the I-pace belongs in its family. Again, it exceeded expectations by carving up the tricky track with no signs of exhaustion. Yes, it’s a heavy car and understeer does set in, but its dynamic ability and especially the way the power can be modulated mid-turn in search for the ultimate level of grip is nothing short of astonishing.
A topic in any EV discussion is range anxiety. With a claimed range of 480 km on the new Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicles Test Procedure cycle, it’s rarely an issue with the I-pace. Driving the car enthusiastically does slash the range but no more than it would on a petrolpowered performance vehicle. The fact that a 100 kw, directcurrent fast charger replenishes 80% of the batteries’ energy in just 40 minutes gives the car real long-distance capability, provided, of course, the charging infrastructure is readily available.
Running costs should be much lower than for an equivalent fossil-fuel burning car, not just in terms of the reduced energy cost but also the fact that there are few serviceable items.
Unfortunately, the technology will not be cheap when the vehicle launches here in the first quarter of 2019. It sells for £63 500 in the UK, which is the equivalent of an F-type Coupé P380. In our market, the coupé retails for just more than R1,2 million. Like all EVS being sold in markets lacking a progressive government subsidy programme – like ours – it will be pricey. This EV, though, delivers in spades and the I-pace is not just a good electric car, but a good car, period. And purists will be pleased to hear it still has all the credentials of a purebred Jaguar.