Jaguar I-Pace An Evolutionary Move For EV Building

One of the most talked about cars coming out of the LA auto show was the all-electric Jaguar I-Pace SUV. Its design and development shows off the natural evolution of EV design.

Most car makers when they introduce their first all-electric designs are specifically built for the platform. A sedan is going to be a sedan, an SUV will be an SUV. Jaguar has broken the mold and is going down a different path with the I-Pace.

When Jaguar introduced the I-Pace it was not just showing off a new SUV, it was debuting a new all-electric platform that can be used for several models. A platform for future sedans or coupes that can be introduced in record time. Not unlike most manufacturers that have a common platform for several traditional powered models.

Jaguar designed the chassis and battery packs to be scaleable to different wheelbase needs. That way new all-electric models can be designed and put on a reliable, proven chassis. This format will reduce design and production costs. Those savings should turn into a more affordable product for the consumer.

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The I-Pace itself also stands out as an electric SUV. Currently, it seems that electric cars have to scream that they are an electric vehicle. The I-Pace makes no such statement. It is proud to be an SUV that just happens to be electric. It is refreshing that its environment saving features are not written in neon.

The flared fenders and massive wheels adorning the concept may not make a production version, but I hope they do. The aggressive styling cues on the I-Pace are exactly what was missing from the newly introduce F-pace. The design is goes well with the F-Type sports car.

Jaguar is saying with a 50kW rapid charging station will get to an 80% charge in 30 minutes. The projected charging capabilities you have to take with a grain of salt as it is a concept. The I-Pace, if produced, will be capable of utilizing the newest 100kW chargers as well, further reducing range anxiety. Its goals are ambitious, but Jaguar has been surprising us at every turn since its recovery.

Another of the design features that Jaguar highlighted in their presentation is temperature control. Battery life and performance can be drastically affected by heat or cold. The designers have built heat scavenging technology into the I-Pace that should make for some of the most efficient battery performance we have ever seen.

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I wrote about the new Jaguar F-Pace a month ago how it did not stand out in a crowded field. The new I-Pace is the opposite. It stands out on not just appearance, but its designs future possibilities. If the Jaguar I-Pac hits the street looking like what we saw at the LA auto show it will be the first all-electric SUV I have ever seriously considered purchasing.

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