Jaguar’s first-ever electric car, the I-Pace, has made its way to India after the company announced that they have now opened bookings for the luxury SUV. Jaguar will launch the car early next year, and deliveries will begin in March 2021. Earlier this year, the British luxury car brand had announced its intentions of launching the SUV in India, following the updates that they have given to its 2021 edition. The major upgrades that the I-Pace received was a fast and intuitive infotainment system and quick charging capabilities. It now contains a 3-phase AC home charging and more driver-oriented technology.
Jaguar I-Pace Coming to India, Bookings Open Now
Performance Specifications
The luxury SUV houses a 90 kWh battery, that is able to give the car 400 horsepower and 696 Nm of torque. With two motors integrated with the front and rear axles, the built-in All Wheel Drive enables the car to go from 0-100 kph in 4.8 seconds. Performance features include torque vectoring through braking, which maximizes sports car-like agility. Active air suspension varies the ride height according to the speed, adaptive dynamics provides a combination of control as well as a luxurious ride, and configurable dynamics allows you to control various performance parameters. It can go up to 470 km on a single charge, depending on atmospheric and road conditions.
Enhanced brake regeneration helps to recuperate almost all of the braking energy. There are two options of regenerative braking strength, which helps in heavy traffic braking. Active vanes on the front grill provide an optimum balance between aerodynamics and cooling. Add to this the highly efficient heat pump, and the I-Pace keeps on impressing.
Interior and Exterior
The I-Pace boasts of a user-friendly infotainment system. The navigation system provides real-time information regarding available parking spots and charging points. Jaguar claims that the overall interior provides a balance between sports car focus and luxury craftsmanship. The electric powertrain allows for a more spacious interior. The seats come in two options – sports and performance-focused. Acoustic laminated glass in the cabin reduces outside noise.
The aerodynamic front hood is designed to give maximum efficiency. Wheels come in two options as well – 18″ and 19″.
I-Pace Variants
The Jaguar I-Pace will be available in India in three variants – S, SE, and HSE. The base variant S consists of features such as a fixed glass roof, tyre pressure monitors, dual-zone climate control, and a standard driver assistance tech accompanied by 3D cameras and standard cruise control.
The mid-range variant SE will have additional features like advanced projector headlights and seats and mirrors with memory. The HSE variant will have hands-free boot release, adaptive cruise control, and a heads-up display.
The three variants will most probably have a starting price of Rs 1 crore, 1.1 crores, and 1.2 crores. The electric SUV will go up against the Mercedes EQC and soon-to-be-launched Audi e-Tron.
Jaguar’s Zero Emission Vision
Jaguar Land Rover India’s President and Managing Director, Rohit Suri, talked about the company’s vision for the future. He said that Jaguar is thrilled to begin the green mobility journey in India with the launch of the I-Pace. They are committed to the introduction of electric cars across the Jaguar and Land Rover brands, keeping in mind their vision for creating a sustainable future.
Our Opinion
The Jaguar I-Pace is one of the most exciting electric vehicles in the SUV segment currently. It combines the luxury of the British brand and the performance-based features of the electric powertrain to culminate into a wonderful product. At the same time, with a lack of a Supercharger network in India, most of the customers will be reliant on home chargers. A 470-km range does help in that sense, but India needs to understand the need of Superchargers, as electric vehicles have slowly started trickling into the market.
The I-Pace is an award-winning SUV, having won the 2019 World Car of the Year, the World Car Design of the Year, and the World Green Car. It was the first car ever to win three World titles simultaneously, making it a true global EV icon.
The overall impression of the I-Pace seems quite good, but the price seems slightly on the higher side. If Tesla ever comes to India (reports suggest that could happen sooner than later), it will bring the Model 3 to the market, and directly bite into I-Pace’s customer bank. Model 3 provides a lot more than I-Pace, and it costs lesser. This is definitely something that Jaguar needs to consider. For now, EV enthusiasts should be happy considering the fact that the electric vehicle market has started swelling.
