Jaguar bets big on India, to launch EV SUV I-Pace next year
Jaguar I-Pace will mark the British carmaker’s entry into an entirely new segment in the country.
Tata Motors-owned Jaguar will launch I-Pace, its electric sports utility vehicle in India next year. The SUV was first introduced to the world at the Geneva International Motor Show 2018. At that time, Jaguar had stated that this SUV was not bound for India. Plans since then, however, have changed, and the company has decided that India is a market for the electric SUV. No confirmed dates have been provided by Jaguar regarding the I-Pace launch so far.
The I-Pace shares it design cues with other Jaguar stable mates like the E-Pace and F-Pace. The all-electric car comes at 4,682mm in length, 2,139mm in width, and 1,565mm in height. It also has a generous 2,990mm wheelbase that allows rear passengers ample leg room, which will make customers who prefer to sit at the back very happy. And even though the car is not marketed as an off-roader, it can wade through a depth of 500mm, making it ideal for off-roading also.
On the inside, the I-Pace gets a smart cabin with features such as mobile charging with three 12 V sockets, six USB ports, and one HDMI/HML port. The infotainment system is same as the Range Rover Velar dual-screen InControl Touch Pro Duo, which allows drivers to use Alexa-enabled devices to check for information on the I-Paces’s charge level and has 4G Wi-Fi hotspot and slots for tablets and laptops under the rear seats.
Running this beast are two electric motors coupled with Jaguar’s own battery technology. These electric motors are mounted on each axle and the I-Pace uses a 90kWh battery pack, which is made up of 432 lithium ion cells and mounted on a frame that Jaguar has made an integral structural component of the car’s floor.
This motor is capable of churning out 395bhp and 696Nm of torque, which is good for 483km on a single charge. This 90kWh battery will take 45 minutes to charge from nil to 80 percent if one uses a 100kW rapid charger, or 10 hours if one uses a 7kW AC charger.
The above specs, coupled with the new aggressive lines that Jaguar has opted for as its design philosophy, makes this SUV stand out in the market. The SUV in the UK is priced at £58,995 (roughly Rs 55.25 lakh). The Indian sticker price though will be higher than that even if introduced through the CKD (Completely Knocked Down) route.
(Edited by Evelyn Ratnakumar)
