New Jaguar I-Pace


The Jaguar I-Pace Concept is the biggest sign of company’s move into electric vehicles and perhaps the most significant attempt at making a pretty car that just happens to be electric.

Unveiled at a Jaguar event ahead of the 2016 Los Angeles Auto Show using both virtual reality goggles and sitting on a turntable, the I-Pace was shown to journalists in the flesh, presented in part by designer Ian Callum.


The Jaguar Design Director explained the intentional move to make a sporty little SUV with a cab forward design to take advantage of the superior packaging of putting the batteries under the floor. The I-Pace is in a league of its own, tackling a product-concept foreign to the Tata-owned company.

The I-Pace looks like an SUV in the same way the Infiniti QX30 and Mercedes-Benz GLA do. The sharply sloped rear glass and stubby deck make it look sedan-like from some angles. But overall, it’s an attractive car that should still look attractive when it’s toned down slightly for production.


The benefit of all this, is that there is a lot of space inside, far more than its footprint implies. A panoramic roof gives off on the concept gives off an airy feel. Legroom is said to be on par with rivals from the midsize class and the cargo hold is surprisingly long and deep. The I-Pace looks to be an immensely practical package.

Powering the vehicle are front and rear electric motors that produce a combined power output of 400 hp and 700 Nm of torque – enough to make everyone forget about the supercharged Jags. Thanks to a 90kW battery it can travel up to 500 Km, without recharging.


Jaguar is already taking reservations on their website, Jaguar.com, although they aren’t taking US$ 1,000 deposits for the car that’s about two years away from dealerships. Still, it’s likely this will be the first Jaguar with a big online sales push.

Jaguar officials said the production I-Pace would be shown next year at an auto show, with the car set to go on sale in the second half of 2018 – in all 50 U.S. states. It may be a brother to the hot-selling F-Pace, but the I-Pace is so much more than a small Jaguar SUV.