Jaguar I-Pace Concept Preview
CARS.COM
Looks like: The F-Pace had a baby and now the F-Type and XE are waiting for the DNA results to determine who the father is
Defining characteristics: Supercar face with an SUV booty
Ridiculous features: Umm, it’s a little ostentatious, but otherwise …
Chance of being mass-produced: 100 percent
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Jaguar today released teaser images of its first-ever electric vehicle — the I-Pace Concept — to get everyone charged up about its debut later this week at the 2016 Los Angeles Auto Show. But this performance SUV isn’t some outta-left-field concept to expand design boundaries and brand awareness. The British luxury automaker says the I-Pace is on pace for a 2018 showroom arrival.
The I-Pace, Jaguar says, combines a supercar silhouette and driving characteristics with the comfort and versatility of a five-seat SUV — as well as the zero-emissions efficiency of a Tesla. The 90-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack is said to be good for a range of 220 miles, with the power plant sending 400 horsepower and 516 pounds-feet of torque to all four wheels for a zero-to-60-mph sprint of 4 seconds. The automaker says full recharge time is two hours on a 50-kilowatt fast charger.
Without a gas engine or transmission tunnel to house, thanks to the all-electric powertrain, Jaguar says engineers were afforded the freedom to create the I-Pace’s cab-forward design inspired by the C-X75 supercar. The SUV measures 184.25 inches in length, 74.41 inches in width and 61.42 inches in height, with a wheelbase spanning 117.72 inches.
“The design of the I-Pace Concept brings the cabin forward, extends the wheelbase and shortens the overhangs,” Jaguar said in a statement. “This enables the silhouette to become more aerodynamic and the haunches to develop more powerful proportions. It also enlarges the interior space and improves vehicle dynamics and visibility.”
The I-Pace’s upper grille and peering LED headlights call to mind the XE sports sedan, while the gaping lower maw flanked by large intakes seems of the F-Type type. The EV’s profile, meanwhile, bears much in common with the F-Pace SUV only more streamlined — from its sloping roofline to its sucked-in waistline, and from its outsize wheels (23-inchers finished in Technical Grey with Gloss Black inserts here) to its rear spoiler.
The interior, Jaguar says, is a lower-slung affair than a conventional SUV, with passengers seated low for road feel and performance appreciation. Luxurious cabin materials include leather seats with contrast stitching and carbon-fiber trim, seatbacks finished in Alcantara simulated suede as well as aluminum-, Alcantara- and walnut-finished doors. Overhead is a full-length panoramic glass roof illuminated at night by a series of embedded LED lights. The I-Pace also offers nearly 19 cubic feet of rear cargo space.
The cockpit combines newfangled touchscreen interfaces with classic metal-finished rotary knobs, Jaguar says. The main control center is a 10-inch display, supplemented by a secondary 5.5-inch screen that allows occupants to configure multimedia and climate options without losing sight of other info. A 12-inch high-def virtual instrument cluster and a full-color head-up display communicate driving data to the one behind the wheel.
Jaguar plans to unveil the production version of the I-Pace late next year. Check back for more on the concept version as we get up close to the I-Pace this week at the 2016 L.A. auto show.
