The I-PACE Concept is Jaguar’s first electric vehicle and will be on the road in the second half of 2018. The company’s first electric vehicle will deliver 700Nm instant torque, 400PS and will go from 0-100km/h in around four seconds. New generation technology and a futuristic design are combined to offer a zero-emission experience in a vehicle that remains unmistakably Jaguar.
The innovative machine will have a range of more than 354 kilometres (EPA) and is powered by a 90 kWh battery pack that can be rapidly charged to 80% in just 90 minutes. The production model based on this prototype will be presented at the end of 2017 and goes on sale in 2018. However, for the moment, only a privileged few (the car costs an arm and a leg) will be seen behind the steering wheel of a machine of these characteristics.
Jaguar has stated that the final model will only vary slightly from the current prototype design. It is based on the lines of the C-X75 prototype, just like all the models of the current range coming from the British brand, but here Jaguar is opting for a more pronounced coupe-like contour in the rear of the car.
As there’s no need to make space for a combustion engine at the front, the design team has been able to play more with the structure. The front seats have been pushed further forward allowing for shorter overhangs. And with a wheelbase of almost 3 metres, the car’s interior appears like an upper segment, despite the fact the car measures only 4.68 metres.
At a technical level, the I-PACE is powered by two engines, one on each axle (all-wheel drive) via 700Nm of torque and 400PS of power (200 in each), and accelerates from 0 to 100km/h in just 4 seconds. A control unit positioned in front of the rear axle manages the energy of the lithium-ion battery packs, which are placed in the base of the car to distribute the weight and keep its centre of gravity low.
Jaguar says it will have a range of more than 500km in EU NEDC (New European Driving Cycle), while the EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) gives a more modest account at 354 kilometres. The I-PACE Concept features a 90kWh battery and can be charged using a domestic socket or a 50kW charger. Jaguar says with a quick charge the battery can go from 0 to 80% in 90 minutes, while a full battery charge takes just over two hours.
The contemporary interior shows hardly any reminiscence of the classic models with a digital panel behind the steering wheel joining a large centre stack main screen and another secondary touchscreen where traditionally we would have seen the gear stick (or the gear selector in the case of Jaguar). And as you’d expect with such a machine, technology will be reflected both inside and out…A true masterpiece.
