.jpg)
We’re not big fans of clichés in the Esquire office, especially seeing as the day job involves coming up with clever ways to word a story, clichés can become rather tired. Having said that we still think the utterly suitable way to describe Jaguar cars (even if it is under its Indian ownership) would be ‘quintessentially British’.
So it was of little surprise that it was on London’s streets where the new, fully-electric, Jaguar I-Pace was sighted. Available in 2018, this is a bold statement from the famed marque that has built its reputation on a pedigree of exquisite cars including the E-Type, SS100, XK120, C-type, MK II, XJ6 S1 and the modern rocket ship F-Type, all of which are very much petrol-powered.
The new I-Pace comes with compact, lightweight electric motors and is a rapid all-wheel drive contender, four seconds is all it will take (officially) to get up to 100kph and you won’t have to recharge for 500km (running on NEDC cycle). Charging is also quick, using 50kW DC power source will get you to 80% on the 90kWh lithium-ion battery in 90 minutes. Here is some technical data that might mean something if you paid attention to your high school physics teacher, front and rear axles generate a combined output of 400PS and 700Nm of torque.
It will be competing against worthy opponents, Tesla’s Model X, the Audi e-tron and a production version of the Mercedes Generation EQ concept. Jaguar are confident describing it as ‘The I-PACE will deliver the agility, ride comfort and refinement that will set it apart from all other electric vehicles: it will be a true Jaguar and a true drivers car’.
