Electric Jaguar I-Pace set for 2018 debut

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Jaguar has revealed the production-preview concept for the I-Pace, the company’s first all-electric vehicle, which will be available to buy from 2018.

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Described as an SUV with sports car performance, the I-Pace is powered by a 90kWh lithium-ion battery driving twin electric motors on the front and rear axles. Together, they generate 700Nm of torque and 400bhp, and the traction benefits of all-wheel drive help the I-Pace accelerate from 0-60mph in about four seconds.

"Electric motors provide immediate response with no lag, no gearshifts and no interruptions,” said Ian Hoban, the I-Pace vehicle line director. “Their superior torque delivery compared to internal combustion engines transforms the driving experience.”

Measured on the European NEDC test cycle, the I-Pace has a range of approximately 500km. A full charge using a typical public 50KW DC charging point takes just over two hours, while any regular socket can be used for a partial charge overnight. Inside the vehicle, two touchscreens will act as driver interfaces, providing a range of digital information.

"This is an uncompromised electric vehicle designed from a clean sheet of paper,” said JLR’s Dr Wolfgang Ziebart. “We’ve developed a new architecture and selected only the best technology available. The I-Pace Concept fully exploits the potential EVs can offer in space utilisation, driving pleasure and performance."

So far just a single concept vehicle has been built, but Jaguar overcame that problem during the launch by allowing guests to experience the I-Pace from multiple locations via virtual reality. Groups in Los Angeles and London were able to explore the car and interact with each other in a single VR world, where a live presenter talked them through the vehicle’s design. Jaguar teamed up with a number of partners to deliver the VR experience, including HTC, Dell, and creative agencies ReWind and Imagination.

“For the first time in history, a global automotive brand has used fully immersive VR to launch their latest car,” said Ross Wheeler, head of automotive at Imagination. “This launch takes the individual far beyond any new car experience they would have witnessed before, allowing people across the world to connect in real time, be fully immersed within the vehicle and share live together their experience of Jaguar’s first ever electric vehicle.”