By Otsile Kadiege

A couple of years ago Jaguar introduced their first-ever fully-electric vehicle – the I-Pace. Since then the Jag scooped numerous awards which can fill Santa Claus’s gift bag. A few of those awards include 2020 AutoTrader South African Car of the Year and the unprecedented treble at the 2019 World Car of the Year Awards, winning World Car Design of the Year, World Green Car and World Car of the Year.

In a bid to remain competitive in the electric SUV segment, Jaguar announced a bunch of updates for its all-electric performance SUV and the addition of R-Dynamic models.

Exterior design updates

This award-winning design has now evolved, with subtle, carefully considered enhancements which are said to deliver even greater presence. Up front, now has a smooth form, in striking Atlas Grey which replaces the previous gloss black lozenge pattern.

The front bumper finishers, lower door finishers and rear diffuser are now body-colour instead of Gloss Black. There’s also the option of a contrast panoramic roof, which for the first time enables customers to specify a black finish for the rear section of the roof to complement the sweeping glass panel.

Customers can also specify satin paints for the first time. Offered in a choice of Eiger Grey or new Carpathian Grey, these finishes give I-PACE a sophisticated, contemporary look.

Interior technology updates

Inside, every model in the range is equipped with the Pivi Pro infotainment system with wireless Apple CarPlay and wireless Android Auto as well as what3words navigation.

Performance, range and charging

Powering the I-Pace is a 90 kWh lithium-ion battery making 294kW and 696Nm. Power is fed to an intelligent all-wheel drive system which enables it to sprint from 0-100 km/h in 4.8 seconds.

Jaguar claims the I-Pace has a range of 470km range (WLTP) when fully charged. When charging using the fast-growing network of public chargers, a 100kW DC charger can add up to 127km of range (WLTP) in just 15 minutes. South African customers with three-phase electricity and an 11kW home wall box can add up to 53km of range (WLTP) per hour; a full charge takes only 8.6 hours. Customers with single-phase electricity using 7kW wall boxes can achieve up to 35km of charge per hour and a full charge in 12.75 hours.

Jaguar South Africa is yet to share pricing and availability details.