Jaguar offered an online preview of its fully electric I-Pace sport utility vehicle as the UK luxury car maker pushes forward with plans to challenge Tesla and offer a battery-powered line-up by the end of the decade.
The SUV is being displayed in a live-streaming event after “thousands of potential customers” showed interest by clicking an “I want one” button on the company’s website, the unit of Tata Motors’ Jaguar Land Rover division said in an e-mailed statement.
While mass-market car makers are electrifying their fleets in response to regulators’ pressure to reduce emissions, JLR is one of the few established high-end producers to make a strong commitment.
Ralf Speth, the division’s chief, outlined plans last year to offer fully electric, plug-in hybrid and so-called mild-hybrid variants of its entire range of cars and SUVs.
Electric vehicles are set to be centre stage at next week’s Geneva car show. As well as challenging EV incumbent Tesla, Jaguar’s I-Pace will be jostling for attention with new models from other traditional car makers looking to close the gap, including Audi’s Q6.
When it hits showrooms in the second half of the year, the I-Pace will offer drivers a range of more than 310 miles on one charge, while pulling to 100km/hour from a standstill in about four seconds, the company said on its website. — Reported by Tom Lavell, (c) 2018 Bloomberg LP
