Jaguar I-PACE arrives to strong demand

The Jaguar I-PACE – the British luxury brand’s first electric model and the first electric SUV from an established automotive brand – is now available in Australia, where it has already attracted 60 pre-orders.

First deliveries will take place this month following 170 requests for a test drive and more than 4000 expressions of interest, and the model will be available by all of Jaguar's 41 local dealers.

Jaguar Australia won’t reveal its full-year sales forecast for 2019 and any comparison with the I-PACE’s only direct rival – the Tesla Model X – is difficult given the US EV-maker doesn’t reveal its sales figures.

However, leaked internal sales data indicates Tesla Australia sold about 1400 vehicles – including the Model S sedan and Model X SUV – last year.

Jaguar Land Rover Australia managing director Mark Cameron said the importance of the Jaguar I-PACE went far beyond sales volume.

“For Jaguar to have – after Tesla – the first electric luxury car is a huge achievement,” he said at this week’s local I-PACE press launch.

“This car is the embodiment of Jaguar values and will attract more attention and new people to the brand. It’s an electric vehicle, but first and foremost it’s a Jaguar.”

Full Australian pricing and specifications now available show that beyond the entry-level Jaguar I-PACE S, priced at $119,000, the four-variant E-SUV launch line-up also includes the SE ($130,200), HSE ($140,800) and First Edition ($159,700) – all plus on-road costs.

All Jaguar I-PACE variants come standard with safety systems including autonomous emergency braking, lane-keep assist, traffic sign recognition, adaptive speed-limiter, driver condition monitor, stability control, reversing camera and Park Pack comprising 360-degree parking aid, rear traffic monitor, clear exit monitor and park assist.

The base Jaguar I-PACE S comes standard with flush door-handles, 18-spoke alloy wheels, tyre repair system, automatic/levelling LED headlights, Luxtec sports seat trim, eight-way semi-powered front seats, leather-clad steering wheel, automatic wipers, heated door mirrors, 10-inch Touch Pro Duo infotainment screen, 12.3-inch Interactive Driver Display, Meridian sound system, Navigation Pro, 4G WiFi hotspot, keyless entry/start, dual-zone climate-control, Bluetooth connectivity, phone/audio voice control, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, three 12V and four USB outlets, and a 60/40-split folding rear seat.

Mechanically, at base level there’s full-time all-wheel drive, All Surface Progressive Control, Hill Launch Assist, JaguarDrive Control, electric power steering, an open differential with torque vectoring by braking, coil suspension, passive damping and an electric park brake.

In addition, the Jaguar I-PACE SE offers 20-inch six-spoke alloys, premium LED headlights with signature ‘double-J’ DRLs and washers, a powered tailgate, auto-dimming/folding door mirrors with memory, leather trim, 10-way powered front seats with memory and a Drive Pack comprising high-speed AEB, adaptive cruise control with stop/go and blind-spot monitoring.

To this the Jaguar I-PACE HSE adds 20-inch five-spoke alloys with diamond-turned finish, Matrix LED headlights, powered gesture tailgate, Windsor leather trim, Meridian surround sound and 360-degree surround camera.

First Edition models (pictured) gain exclusive Photon Red paint, the option of Santorini Black and Corris Grey paint (both $1950), Active air suspension, Adaptive Dynamics with Configurable Dynamics, Adaptive Surface Response, fixed panoramic roof, privacy glass, gloss-black side window surround, polished grey 20-inch five-split-spoke alloys, front foglights, metal branded treadplates, 18-way heated/cooled power front seats, heated rear seats, suedecloth headlining, Gloss Charcoal Ash First Edition veneer, carpet mats, heated steering wheel, heated windscreen, heated washer jets, four-zone climate-control, configurable ambient interior lighting, colour head-up display, Activity Key, full extended leather trim and DAB+ digital radio.

Many of these features are optional on lesser full-time models -- including the fixed panoramic roof ($3380), air suspension ($2000) and head-up display ($1040) -- but apart from an array of interior and exterior colour and trim options and accessories, buyers can also specify a black contrast roof ($1495) and must also pay extra for a public charging cable ($425).

All Jaguar I-PACEs incorporate the same EV400 powertrain comprising a 90kWh lithium-ion battery pack under the floor, powering a synchronous permanent magnet electric motor for each axle.

Generating a combined 294kW of power and 696Nm of torque, they can accelerate the 2100kg-plus five-seat SUV to 100km/h in a claimed 4.8 seconds.

Now awarded a five-star ANCAP crash rating, the I-PACE is based on Jaguar’s new aluminium EV architecture, helping make it the most torsionally-rigid model in Jaguar history and giving it 50/50 front/rear weight balance and 130mm-lower centre of gravity than the larger F-PACE.

Riding on a 2990mm wheelbase and measuring 4682mm long, the I-PACE is closer to the F-PACE than the mid-size E-PACE in size.

It has a large 656-litre rear boot, extending to 1453 with the rear seats folded, a 27-litre front ‘froot’, 10.5-litre centre console bin, 890mm of rear legroom and 968mm of rear headroom.

Riding on double-wishbone front and Integral Link independent rear suspension, the Jaguar I-PACE also has a reasonable 500mm wading depth and a slippery 0.29Cd aerodynamic drag coefficient.

Aided by regenerative braking, claimed WLPT driving range is 470km and the I-PACE can be charged to 80 per cent via a 7kW AC wallbox ($2280) in 10 hours (at the rate of 35km per hour, or three times faster than a domestic power outlet), or via a maximum 100kW DC fast-charger in 40 minutes (at the rate of 100km per 15 minutes).

Jaguar says that at an electricity price of 30 cents/kWh, the I-PACE will average $5.70 per 100km, equating to a $1500 annual saving over an equivalent conventional SUV.

All vehicles feature an on-board 7kW single-phase charger and a multi-function 32A Mode 2 universal charging cable for home/office use. Alternatively, there are currently 150 compatible public charging stations around Australia.

The I-PACE battery is covered by an eight-year, 160,000km warranty and the vehicle itself by a five-year/200,000km warranty including roadside assist – two years and 100,000km more than any other Jaguar.

Over-the-air software updates are also part of the deal, as is the Jaguar InControl Remote app allowing pre-cooling, un/locking, timed charging, eco mode and EV navigation.

How much is the 2019 Jaguar I-PACE?
S -- $119,000
SE -- $130,200
HSE -- $140,800
First Edition -- $159,700
* All prices exclude on-road costs