First Drive: Jaguar’s electric I-Pace ticks all the boxes for performance, practicality and range
Rebecca Chaplin puts the new Jaguar I-Pace to the test on road, track and off road to find out if that claimed 298-mile range is realistic and if electric motoring is finally easy for anyone to live with
What is it?
Electric cars have seen huge growth in their first decade as a readily available mode of transport – but they’ve still not made it into the public consciousness as a viable vehicle for everyday life. Try now to forget all your preconceived ideas about EVs. Forget the gimmicks and concept-like design, and instead imagine a performance Jaguar with enough practicality to suit your nuclear family.
What’s new?
The I-Pace is a completely new car, designed from the ground up specifically for Jaguar. It’s the first electric car created by the brand – if we forget about the one-off electric E-Type – and follows on from the design language of the Big Cat’s existing SUV ‘Pace’ range.
What’s under the bonnet?
For the technically minded among you, the I-Pace has two permanent magnet electric motors that each produces 197bhp, putting power directly to each wheel and giving you all-wheel drive. The battery has a capacity of 90kWh.
