Jaguar’s first all-electric production vehicle, the I-PACE, has been unveiled ahead of its public debut at next week’s Geneva motor show.
Virtually identical to its concept car precursor that was revealed at the end of 2016, the road-going I-PACE gets a 90kWh lithium-ion battery that is claimed to deliver a 298 mile range (based on the new WLTP cycle) and 0-80 per cent charging time of 40 minutes.
Two Jaguar-designed electric motors – which feature driveshafts passing through the motors themselves for compactness – are placed at each axle, producing a combined performance of 395 bhp and 513 lb-ft of torque. The all-wheel-drive car is claimed to complete the 0-60 mph dash in just 4.5 seconds.
Externally, the car’s styling is said to have been influenced by the Jaguar C-X75 supercar with a short, low bonnet, aero-enhanced roof design and curved rear screen. The I-PACE’s cab-forward design contrasts with its squared-off rear, which the designers claim helps reduce the drag co-efficient to 0.29 Cd. To optimise the balance between cooling and aerodynamics, active vanes in the grille open when cooling is required, but close when not needed to redirect air through the integral bonnet scoop, smoothing airflow.
Sitting on 22-inch wheels, the mid-sized SUV combines a relatively long wheelbase of 2,990 mm with an overall length of 4,682 mm, giving it a similar footprint to the F-PACE. And with its cab forward design and EV powertrain, the I-PACE’s interior space is also said to be comparable to more larger-sized SUVs.
For example, rear legroom is 890 mm and, with no transmission tunnel, there’s an additional 10.5-litre central storage compartment. In the back, tablet and laptop stowage is found beneath the seats, while the rear luggage compartment offers a 656-litre capacity – and 1,453-litres with the seats folded flat.
“The I-PACE’s electric powertrain offered us unprecedented design freedom. Starting with a clean sheet enabled the dramatic cab-forward profile, unique proportions and exceptional interior space – yet it is unmistakably a Jaguar. We wanted to design the world’s most desirable EV, and I’m confident we’ve met that challenge,” asserts Jaguar design boss, Ian Callum.
Although designed and engineered in the UK, the I-PACE will be built in Austria as part of a manufacturing partnership with Magna Steyr. First deliveries are expected in July.
