What we learnt
The pattern for the rest of the morning was set. We repeated the E-prix route half a dozen times in each vehicle for consistency to ensure the consumption figures were representative and, they were.
In this day and age, as the march of technology continues, the rise of the electric SUV seems undeniable. The added ride height, spacious and cutting-edge interiors, utterly silent powertrains, seamless traction from electric all-wheel drive and instantaneous response from the motors is eminently covetable and are a testimony to automotive progress. Likewise, as EVS become more prevalent on our roads and consumers begin to overcome their somewhat erroneous fears over range anxiety, the barriers to EV ownership will slowly come down.
In certain ways, South Africa is an ideal environment for EV adoption. Take, for example, the fact that according to Gridcars, South Africa ranks in the top 5% for charging infrastructure in the world. That’s correct, we are at the very top when it comes to charging stations versus the amount of EVS on the road, so the ignominy of arriving at a public charger only to find it occupied is not yet a factor.
As for our trio of EVS … on the road, the EQC is a brilliant amalgam of Mercedes’ storied DNA: lashings of luxury, total sophistication and comfort with a hint of sportiness thrown in. Unfortunately, it was the least efficient in our test and the sentiment seems it is unable to truly make its electric powertrain count in this excessively bulky, adapted chassis.
“But the BMW ix is heavier and you’re not criticising it for that,” we hear you say. Yes, but that extra weight comes with the benefit of increased range and even greater performance. Granted, it is an opportunity-cost scenario, like any engineering exercise because, as you saw in the stats, the ix’s larger battery pack requires longer recharge time and it only splits the Jaguar and Mercedes-benz for realworld efficiency. It is this tipping point, of sorts, that BMW engineers have said they will reconsider in future EVS.
The simple truth is with the current battery technology at our disposal, to build a vehicle with a 750-1 000 km range will require a huge, heavy battery. This is doable but it will have to compromise in other spheres like handling, ride quality and recharge time. So, what sort of bragging rights should you be chasing in an EV?
From that perspective and considering Jaguar identified and actioned a holistic approach to building an electric car way before anyone else did, is there really any reason not to go for the I-pace? It’s the most affordable, the most efficient on our E-prix circuit and very nearly as quick as the newest products in the segment.
Being critical, we would have to highlight the Jaguar goes without the digital savvy of the newer offerings, and that jarring ride and feedback passed on to the driver is a price some may not want to pay for in an EV. The current obsession with range and recharge speed is misguided. When consumers finally admit they will rarely test the full range capability on a single trip and recharge at a public station, they’ll realise the I-pace’s 380 km range is perfectly adequate.
If cost was no object, however, there is no reason you shouldn’t opt for the BMW ix. Original, clever and brilliant in its thinking, it nails the EV brief in every respect by offering the best performance and range, and decent handling and ride quality despite the necessary trade-off in weight. Climb inside and the desirability shoots off the scale courtesy of the coolest interior, filled with cutting-edge technology and plenty of space.
In the fast-moving world of EVS, you need not worry about obsolescence … it’s the BMW ix that’s been future-proofed for a while still.