Rumors surrounding a possible SVR version of the
Jaguar I-Pace have been around ever since the electric SUV went on sale last
year, and solidifying them was the company’s SVO (Special Vehicle Operations)
chief, Michael van der Sande.
During a sit-down with Autocar, he confirmed that
the I-Pace SVR is a matter of “when, not if”, admitting that they have learned
a lot from the I-Pace eTrophy racers that support the Formula E championship. One major issue that Jag needs to
address is the battery tech, as the “cycle is very different in racing”, van
der Sande admitted. “We’ve already learned plenty about battery management,
heat management and software development that could be useful for road cars.
When the call comes, we’ll be ready.”
While the eTrophy stays true to the original recipe,
putting out 400 PS, the I-Pace SVR is believed to get a small
bump in power. Combined with the weight reduction, it will be faster from rest
to 100 km/h than the standard model, which needs 4.8 seconds, and
maxes out at 200 km/h. The I-Pace can travel for 480 km on a single charge in the WLTP cycle.
