Is the Jaguar I-Pace Tesla’s First Real Competitor?
Tesla has been largely unchallenged in the EV market, but I-Pace is changing that.
The Jaguar I-Pace is coming in hot from being crowned Germany’s 2019 Car of the Year where it beat out 58 other competitors. Automotive journalist and Alex on Autos host Alex Dykes recently got some significant time behind the wheel of the new I-Pace, providing an overview of all of its features along with putting it through its paces on the road.
In the video, Dykes mentions that you just cannot describe the I-Pace without mentioning its competition. Tesla changed the game for electric vehicles, and as Dykes says, much of Tesla’s competition up until now has been cars to satisfy government regulations and give customers a little electric range, but not to be an electric vehicle. The I-Pace does not follow that plan at all.
Jaguar’s I-Pace was designed to be an electric vehicle. Unlike many electric/hybrid vehicles where the electric battery was an afterthought, the I-Pace was born to be an EV from the start. Dykes showcases the car’s front trunk, or “frunk,” as he calls it, which allows him to show off the I-Pace’s supercar-inspired aerodynamics. Dykes describes it as one of the “slipperiest vehicles” even if it is in the crossover segment.
Along with giving an extensive overview of the characteristics and specs on the exterior and interior of the I-Pace, the journalist gets behind the wheel. He tests, compares, and rates the I-Pace in multiple categories, including braking, handling, ride comfort, cabin noise, fuel economy, and, of course, the acceleration from 0 to 60. The I-Pace Crossover has an electric motor capable of making 394 horsepower at 4,250 RPM and 512 lbs.-ft of torque instantly at 0 RPM. This instant power delivery is, of course, a big advantage with electric motors. It goes from 0 to 60 in 4.2 seconds, a feat that would still puts many traditional sports cars to shame.
Overall Dykes describes the I-Pace as being the first in the race of electric vehicles from Europe, but it “needs a little more time in the oven.”
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