Jaguar has confirmed that it will build an electric car, and has revealed a concept called the I-Pace that shows how it could look.
The I-Pace is making its debut at the LA motor show and will go on to be Jaguar’s first pure electric vehicle. It will take the form of an SUV to rival the recently launched Tesla Model X, albeit with a sleeker profile if this concept is anything to go by (and rumours suggest that it is).
It is claimed that the new car will have a range from a single charge of 310 miles, and will be able to accelerate from 0-62mph in about four seconds, meaning it will rival all but the very quickest of sports cars.
The all-wheel-drive I-Pace will use a pair of electric motors that will produce close to 400bhp and 516lb ft of torque, all powered by a 90 kWh lithium-ion battery pack. Jaguar boasts that it will have “precise, agile driving dynamics as yet unseen on an electric vehicle”.
Similar to Tesla’s initiative with the Model3 electric car, Jaguar is inviting potential customers to register their interest online at its website. Using a similar method, Tesla secured more than 400,000 pre-orders for the Model3, despite it not being ready for delivery until the end of 2017.
Jaguar’s five-seat SUV will go on sale the following year – the price is yet to be announced – and is said to have been created as a result of the company’s design and engineering teams tearing up the rule book to “create a bespoke electric architecture, matched with dramatic design”.
Ian Callum, Jaguar’s Director of Design, said: “The I-Pace Concept represents the next generation of electric vehicle design. It’s a dramatic, future-facing cab-forward design with a beautiful interior – the product of authentic Jaguar DNA, electric technology and contemporary craftsmanship.”
He added: “The interior of the I-Pace Concept is finished with beautiful, premium materials and an unwavering attention to detail. Throughout the interior you will discover a host of beautiful details to surprise and delight. From the expansive panoramic glass roof to the sporting, beautifully finished seats, every feature bears the hallmark of British craftsmanship.
“And there is digital craftsmanship too, with two touchscreens serving up information when and where you need it, limiting distraction and improving the driving experience”
On the practical side, Jaguar says that a rapid charge on a 50 KW DC charger will take just over two hours, delivering a range of at least 220 miles, and as much as 310 miles.
In addition, because electric cars can be so efficiently packaged (the batteries sit under the floor of the car and the electric motors are much smaller than a conventional engine) the I-Pace has more room inside than Jaguar’s recently launched SUV, the F-Pace, despite being smaller on the outside. That includes 530 litres of luggage space in the boot, plus more under the bonnet of the car.
Source : Daily Telegraph