In 2019, the English luxury automotive group Jaguar Land Rover released its first EV, the Jaguar I-Pace. While the initial expectation was an electric revolution, the brand has remained dormant. The I-Pace is still the only electric vehicle in the Jaguar lineup and didn’t make many inroads into the industry. The Jaguar I-Pace should be right in the mix as an electric luxury vehicle.
While the rest of the Jaguar lineup has not had a major revamp since the mid-2010s, the I-Pace design maintains its freshness and excitement into its third generation.
While many crossovers tend to look like an awkward fusion of an SUV and a sedan (because, well, it is), the I-Pace feels like a separate entity. Despite having a very similar aesthetic to its sedan and SUV siblings in the lineup, the lines on the I-Pace feel fresher and more inspired. Its taut roofline brings a streamlined silhouette to the car that was absent in the sedan and SUV. In addition, the pulled back door location and door handle design that is flush to the door panels brings a sportier and more aerodynamic look to the car. The exterior is decisive and assertive in a market segment with trouble finding a clear voice.
With the car’s shape emphasizing a sporty agile vehicle, it’s only right that the specs follow suit under the hood, and they come through in fine form. The car’s dual-motor all-wheel-drive powertrain exerts a comfortable 394 horsepower and enjoys 512 lb-ft of torque. The zippy crossover glides effortlessly to a 4.5 second 0-60 time, giving the car plenty of acceleration. In addition, the car enjoys an EPA-estimated 253 miles of range, which sits comfortably between the 222-mile range of the Audi E-Tron and the 330-mile range of the Tesla Model Y. Additionally, the I-Pace can replenish 80% of its battery in a 40-minute charge and boasts a regenerative braking system to keep the car away from the charging station and out on the road.
The interior of the car is very much still Jaguar. It is luxurious, understated, and refined, much like the luxury SUVs produced by its sister company Land Rover.
The I-Pace’s spacious five-seat interior enjoys a two-tone style, with the steering wheel, dashboard, and top panel a deep slate color, while the seats, roof, and most of the lower panels are a beautiful ivory color. The layout of the dashboard and control center is orderly and intuitive. The dashboard is entirely electric and controlled by the buttons on the steering wheel. The dual-screen control center is quite inventive and very smart. The all-touchscreen media center at the top controls everything from maps, music, phone calls, and other Bluetooth-related media. Whereas the lower hybrid screen controls the heating, air conditioning, and other climate controls through the touchscreen as well as adjust the temperature with the two knobs on the side of the screen.
As you’d expect, the car’s safety features are top-notch. In addition to the standard six airbags inside the vehicle, the I-Pace also boasts various driver assistance features, including emergency braking, adaptive cruise control, blind-spot detection, and a rear camera. However, Jaguar also offers an optional package with a 360-degree camera and parking assist features.
Currently, the I-Pace is priced starting at $69,200. While the I-Pace is still the only electric car in the Jaguar Land Rover lineup, the Jaguar Land Rover Group has announced big plans for the future. JLR CEO Thierry Bolloré announced that the group would be advertising six new electric cars for the group and promised that the Jaguar brand would be all-electric by 2025. In response to the growing excitement around the brand’s electrification, Jaguar announced that they are currently developing an in-house powertrain to fit their new cars that are reported to be “completely bespoke.” So while it seems that Jaguar’s involvement in innovative automaking has taken a hiatus, it appears that Jaguar is beginning an electric renaissance, and the I-Pace is just the start.
