Jaguar I-Pace confirmed for mid-2018 Oz launch

JAGUAR’S Los Angeles motor show-stealing I-Pace electric SUV is set to arrive in Australia in the third quarter of 2018, thrusting the English marque into the zero-emissions sales battle.

Set to beat the high-profile Audi Q6 e-tron to market by up to a year, the English medium-sized five-seater sports/luxury crossover has been created to compete head-on with the Tesla Model X SUV, which has recently gone on sale in Australia priced from $132,000 before on-road costs to a tad over $200,000.

Like the Model X, the all-electric I-Pace boasts impressive range between charging with over 500km of driving distance according to the European-standard NEDC cycle, and strong performance with a combined output of 294kW and 700Nm from the front and rear axle electric motors.

In its current state of tune, the I-Pace can sprint from zero to 100km/h in a little over 4.0 seconds, which is right up there with the BMW M and Mercedes-Benz AMG SUVs.

Jaguar Australia general manager of communications and public relations Tim Krieger said the I-Pace will succeed in Australia precisely because it is a compromise-free electric vehicle (EV) in every facet.

“With that sort of range, we think it will be a very attractive to customers, especially as it completely addresses range anxiety issues,” he told GoAuto at last week’s LA motor show.

“EVs are part of where we see the brand’s future. And the I-Pace is keeping with the brand’s DNA… electrification will play a very important part of that.”

Although Mr Krieger would not reveal specific details about what sort of EV infrastructure support that will be available for the I-Pace in Australia, he did say it will offer some sort of home or workplace-charging system.

Meanwhile, Jaguar designer director Ian Callum told journalists that the concept vehicle is “95 per cent” true to the final version that kicks off production late next year.