Crashing the Model X’s party.
The Jaguar I-Pace, the electric SUV concept that continues to tug at our heartstrings for both ecological and aesthetic reasons, has been confirmed as an offering for the Australian market, with a debut expected for the production version around Q4 of next year. The official production I-Pace is expected to bow in at the Frankfurt motor show next month, meaning its arrival on our shores is relatively timely.
The confirmation of the I-Pace’s offering was made by Jaguar-Land Rover (JLR) Australia managing director Matthew Wiesner, who spoke to the media last week during the reveal of the Range Rover Velar. The I-Pace was unveiled to the world at the Los Angeles motor show last year in concept form, and has since captured the imagination of critics and observers alike.
Beneath the I-Pace sits a 90kWh battery pack, good to keep the car going for 400km-500km between charges. It’s rated to put out an impressive 294kW and 700Nm, which can propel the car from rest to 100km/h in “around” 4-seconds. The I-Pace will be priced below $150,000 when it arrives, which should see it undercut the only other electric SUV on the market, the Tesla Model X (in comparable P100 guise), by a comfortable $30k margin. Of course, the I-Pace does only have five seats.
The lack of a third-row of pews means that the I-Pace is smaller overall. At only 4680mm in length, it’s 357mm shorter than its American competition, but it promises to be more agile and darty as a result.
“The I-Pace is the most important car for Jaguar since the legendary E-Type. One day in the not-too-distant future, all cars will probably be electrically powered. So the I-Pace Concept and the production version, which will hit the road in 2018, is critically important to the future success of the Jaguar brand.” — Ian Callum, design director, Jaguar-Land Rover
The big hurdle for Jaguar when it rolls out the I-Pace on our shores will be charging. Bereft of the fast-charging infrastructure that Tesla enjoys, the I-Pace may prove to be a slightly more difficult proposition to swallow against the pricier and less-pretty Model X. On the subject, Wiesner said:
“Obviously anything that’s new or in build or planning now, those EV requirements are going into those plans today from an engineering perspective. We’re serving existing sites for the requirements from a charging point of view, both in workshops and the parking. We need to make sure we are ready by the time we launch I-Pace.” — Matthew Wiesner, managing director, JLR Australia
The I-Pace will continue to grab headlines and attention with its incredible looks, revolutionary drivetrain (for Jaguar, at least), and modular electric platform. The I-Pace is to lead the charge for the Coventry marque’s electrified future, and we cannot wait to experience it for ourselves. Have a quick browse through the gallery to get a better idea of just how pretty this car is; You can thank us later.
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