2019 Jaguar I-Pace packs 240 miles of range, AWD performance
The battery is covered by an eight-year, 100,000-mile warranty.
After more than a year of waiting, Jaguar's first battery-electric vehicle is here, and it hasn't changed too much since it debuted as a concept in 2016.
The 2019 Jaguar I-Pace is the automaker's first foray into the world of BEVs, and it appears to live up to many of the promises it made when it was just a concept.
It's always nice when a concept doesn't change much on its way to production.
Juiced up
Let's get right to the heart of the matter, then -- under the body is a pair of electric drive units, one at each axle. The I-Pace puts out a net 394 horsepower and 512 pound-feet of torque, and with all four wheels being electrically driven, it'll hustle to 60 mph in just 4.5 seconds. Despite all that performance, its 90-kWh battery pack will keep the I-Pace going for an estimated 240 miles (EPA and European measurements are still forthcoming).
With a 100-kW DC fast charger, it can go from empty to 80 percent charge in just about 40 minutes. Using a 7-kW Level 2 home charger, it'll take about 10 hours to add the same amount of charge. Overnight charging is going to be your best friend here. The vehicle can also precondition its interior using just the wall power, so you don't have to lose a bit of your battery's charge to ensure a warm seat when you hop in.
As with other modern EVs and PHEVs, the I-Pace offers multiple brake-regeneration settings. In its strongest mode, one-pedal driving is feasible when drivers turn off the car's creep mode. (Creep mode allows the EV to roll forward when the driver's foot moves off the brake, like most gas cars will.)
The battery is backed by an eight-year, 100,000-mile warranty. If the battery drops lower than a 70 percent state of health at any point within that window, it'll be covered.
Looks pretty close to the concept
Visually, much hasn't changed since the concept version, which I enjoy. It's similarly sized to the F-Pace on the outside, but Jaguar says it's much more spacious inside. Since there's no gas engine up front, the front end is a bit shorter, giving it more of a cab-forward look. Out back, it's pretty traditional. Its drag coefficient is a slippery 0.29, thanks in part to things like flush door handles and a standard air suspension system that lowers the vehicle by 0.4 inch at highway speeds.
Inside, things are pretty similar to what you'd find in modern Jaguar and Land Rover SUVs . The lack of a transmission tunnel means there are compartments suitable for storage just about everywhere you look. The rear cargo area measures 25.3 cubic feet, which is just a bit less than you'd find on an Audi Q5. A glass panoramic roof is standard, and the interior can be had in either leatherette or proper leather. As you might expect, you can toss in some pretty fancy trim pieces made from real aluminum or ash wood.
Screens, screens, Alexa and OTA
The center stack is all about screens. Similar to other new JLR vehicles, the I-Pace uses a two-screen setup, with the top half taking care of infotainment duties while the lower half deals with climate control, seat and drivetrain settings. The I-Pace's transmission is activated via four buttons just below that lower screen. The gauge cluster is a 12.3-inch screen, too, which is par for the course as far as JLR's options are concerned. A head-up display is optional, in the event you want a fourth screen nearby.
Jaguar's Touch Pro Duo infotainment system packs a bunch of new features designed just for electric vehicles. It can suggest nearby parking garages or charging points when arriving at a destination or help you plan a road trip based on the vehicle's range. When an owner approaches the I-Pace, it can determine what key the driver is carrying and adjust settings to match the driver's preferences, which is superconvenient in multidriver households.
The I-Pace also carries over-the-air update capabilities, so owners won't need to schlep to dealers or whip out USB flash drives in order to keep the software up-to-date.
If you're down with smart assistants, the I-Pace will have its own Amazon Alexa skill. This will allow owners to check the car's range, lock status and more without leaving the house or even picking up a smart device.
The I-Pace's interior looks very 21st-century, which is a side effect of replacing most of the instrument panel with screens.
The I-Pace will be offered in one of three trims -- S, SE and HSE. If you really want to throw down, Jaguar will offer a First Edition model in the vehicle's first year, which will be pricey but will double down on luxury with unique bits inside and out.
The 2019 Jaguar I-Pace will arrive at US dealers in the second half of 2018, but retailers can start placing customer orders starting today. Pricing will be announced on March 6, in conjunction with the vehicle's debut at the 2018 Geneva Motor Show.
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