Jaguar to beat Germans to electric SUV

Australians will have access to Jaguar’s market-busting I-PACE electric SUV before its direct rivals from Germany, including the battery-powered Audi e-tron SUV and Mercedes-Benz EQ SUV.

The ground-breaking I-PACE will go on sale Down Under priced from under $100,000 next October (2018), following its expected world debut in final production form at the Geneva motor show in March.

It will bring to three the number of SUVs offered by Jaguar, including its original F-PACE and the small E-PACE due on sale here in March, priced from under $50,000.

While the same month will see Jaguar Land Rover launch its first plug-in hybrid model – the Range Rover Sport P400e, as part of its commitment to electrify every model in its range by 2020, the Evoque-size I-PACE will be available with cordless inductive charging.

Like its chief rivals from Audi and Mercedes-Benz, the I-PACE is claimed to offer a driving range of more than 500km – almost as much as the 542km claim of Tesla’s pioneering, $200K-plus Model X P100D.

In concept form, the I-PACE delivers a total system output of 295kW/700Nm, while the Generation EQ Concept produces 300kW/700Nm and the Audi e-tron offers 320kW/800Nm.

Mercedes-Benz, meantime, has committed to releasing its EQ SUV in Australia in 2019, priced from under $85,000.

The move is part of Daimler’s plan for 25 per cent of the vehicles it sells to be battery-electric vehicles by 2025, both globally and in Australia.

Mercedes-Benz has committed to releasing 50 electrified models – including a hybrid or fully electric version of every model in its range, and all vehicles from its smart brand – by 2022.

It’s a similar story at Audi Australia, which has also indicated it will release the e-tron SUV in 2019, but is yet to announce indicative pricing.

Globally, Audi’s large battery-powered SUV will be followed by two other electric e-tron models: the e-tron Sportback crossover in 2020 and a small, A3-sized car or SUV in 2021.

Meantime, BMW is yet to confirm an electric SUV beyond the new X3 and MINI Countryman -- both of which are due on sale, at least overseas, in 2019 at the earliest.

BMW has promised 12 all-electric vehicles and a total of 25 electrified models globally by 2025, when it hopes EVs and PHEVs will account for 20 per cent of its sales.

However, so far there’s no sign of a dedicated electric SUV with a bespoke design – like the I-PACE, EQ and e-tron – with the third model from BMW i expected to be a large sedan to rival the Tesla Model S, as previewed by the BMW I Vision Dynamics concept.

Jaguar will promote its first electric vehicle with Jaguar I-PACE eTROPHY, a one-make support race series for the FIA Formula E Championship from late 2018.

The I-PACE has already attracted a number of orders in Australia, where JLR expects to have its biggest sales year ever in 2018, thanks in part to the Jaguar E-PACE, Land Rover Discovery and Range Rover Velar.

Other upcoming JLR models include November’s F-TYPE four-cylinder and, next year, the heavily upgraded, Ingenium-powered MY8 Range Rover (including a plug-in version), Range Rover Sport, Discovery Sport, XE and XF, plus the new XF Sportbrake, XJR575 and Discovery SVX.

Further afield, JLR is expected to release everything from a piping-hot XE SVR and Velar SVX, to all-electric versions of the F-TYPE and even the new Defender.

UK reports say JLR will also launch a new high-end electric car to be branded as the Road Rover by the end of this decade.

Jaguar Land Rover Australia managing director Matthew Wiesner told motoring.com.au that JLR intends to be a leading maker of electric vehicles globally.

“As we’re heading towards the world pf electrification, some of the rules in that space are yet to be written,” he said.

“We’re up to our ears with what that will mean to us. The things that I know we’re working on right now are … that market is ours to lose.

“The current hierarchy has no bearing on who’s going to lead that space. Everything is on the table as far as electrification and autonomy is concerned.”

Wiesner said one of the challenges with battery-powered vehicles will be to maintain the level of passion offered by existing internal combustion models.

“The factors are changing, the technology is changing and brand will be everything.

“Batteries are batteries, electric motors are electric motors, so what we stand for must be very clear. It’s going to be fascinating.

“The challenge for us in future is how to make it as emotive as it has been. How do you make it emotive when you’re driving autonomously in your Land Rover or Jaguar?”