Jaguar’s I-Pace Concept is an electric performance SUV which is headed for South Africa in 2018, “has a bold, cab-forward design that combines a supercar silhouette with sports car performance and five-seater SUV versatility”.
Brian Joss – “The I-Pace represents the next generation of battery electric vehicle design. It’s a dramatic, future-facing design – the product of authentic Jaguar DNA matched with beautiful, premium details and British craftsmanship,” said Ian Callum, Director of Design, Jaguar. “This isn’t just a concept. It is a preview of a five-seat production car that will be on the road in 2018.”
Taking full advantage of the packaging freedom offered by electrification, the design and engineering teams took the opportunity to rethink the vehicle’s overall proportions.
The I-Pace Concept embodies the technological advances under its skin – and the Jaguar design team’s belief that consumers are ready for bolder electric vehicle designs.
“The opportunities offered by an electric powertrain are huge. Electric vehicles offer designers much greater freedom, and it is an opportunity we must grasp,” said Callum.
Without an internal combustion engine and transmission tunnel to package, the Concept’s design brings the cabin forward, extends the wheelbase and shortens the overhangs.
As a result, the I-Pace Concept’s profile has more in common with the C-X75 mid-engine supercar than conventional SUVs.
The five-seater is a clear statement of Jaguar’s plans for the production model with future-focused design pervading the open, spacious interior. It also showcases the blend of cutting-edge technologies and traditional materials that characterise Jaguar’s vision for electric luxury.
The driver focus that typifies Jaguar cockpits is complemented by intuitive interface designs and advanced materials that demonstrate Jaguar craftsmanship in innovative new ways.
A full-length panoramic glass roof extends the sweeping angle of the windscreen and floods the interior with natural light. At night, an array of LEDs embedded in the roof illuminate the patterned glass to create a stunning visual effect.
It is very much a drivers’ car but the interior has been painstakingly crafted to ensure that all occupants share the sense of being in something special according to Jaguar.
“This is an uncompromised electric vehicle designed from a clean sheet of paper: we developed a new architecture and selected only the best technology available,” said Dr Wolfgang Ziebart, Technical Design Director, Jaguar Land Rover.
The I-Pace Concept introduces Jaguar’s new intuitive ‘flightdeck’ approach for the controls interface. The floating centre console is a key element in advances in Jaguar’s cockpit ergonomics, utility and performance.
Just like the state-of-the-art infotainment systems in Jaguar’s production cars, the I-PACE Concept features a Wi-Fi hotspot to enable occupants in every seat to stay connected and stream music, video and other data to their devices. The Concept also enables occupants to use apps on their iOS and Android smartphones through the vehicle’s main touchscreen using InControl Apps.
The I-PACE Concept delivers the driver-focused performance and response Jaguar is renowned for. To deliver this, it has electric motors at the front and rear axles. Together these deliver 294kW and 700Nm of instant torque. Electric all-wheel drive delivers all-surface, all-weather driveability.
Jaguar Land Rover engineers designed and developed the synchronous, permanent magnet electric motors in-house to achieve the most compact design, greatest efficiency and maximum power density.
For most customers, the I-Pace Concept will be the first electric car they have owned. Research and innovations by the engineering and design teams have simplified the ownership experience and lowered the barriers to adoption. The electric motors, battery pack and management systems give the best possible performance and a useful range for most daily journeys.
The I-PACE Concept’s range is more than 500km on the European NEDC combined cycle and more than 350km on the US EPA cycle. With an average daily commute of 40 – 50km, most customers will need to charge the car just once a week. The battery can be charged at a dedicated wall box at home, or using conventional domestic power sockets.
Energy storage in the I-PACE Concept is a liquid-cooled 90kWh lithium-ion battery pack, designed and developed in-house.
