The Jaguar I-Pace Is A 395bhp Electric SUV With A Dash Of Sex Appeal

You could be forgiven for thinking Jaguar is a little too old school in the powertrain department. After all, it’s one of only a few manufacturers still fiddling around with superchargers, and you won’t find a single hybrid car or EV in the company’s current range.

However, that last point is due to be addressed by this sharp-suited son-of-a-gun, the all-electric I-Pace.

Yes, it is a concept for now, but this isn’t just some spangly showpiece: it previews a production car which will be “on the road in 2018”. And we’ll forgive the rather predictable name (I suppose it was either this or ‘E-Pace’), as to our eyes it looks rather dashing - like the larger F-Pace and the striking C-X75 supercar concept had some aesthetically pleasing offspring.

If the C-X17 concept - which morphed into the F-Pace - is anything to go by, it hopefully shouldn’t change much when the production version arrives. But what lies under its sharp suit?

We’re looking at a twin-motor, all-wheel drive setup powered by a 90kWh battery, putting out 395bhp and 700nm of torque. Not enough to give the more serious Teslas a worry, but enough for a 0-62mph time of four seconds dead. The range meanwhile is 220 miles, with an 80 per cent charge taking 90 minutes and a full charge taking two hours.

Jaguar is promising “precise, agile driving dynamics as yet unseen on an electric vehicle,” thanks to a low centre of gravity plus the same integral link rear suspension setup it’s been using on the XE, XF and F-Pace.

The interior is full of many screens, including a 12-inch display for the instrument binnacle, a 12-inch touchscreen in the middle of the dash, and a 5.5-inch touchscreen for the climate control display just below.

Fancy having a good gawp in the metal? It’s on display at the LA Auto Show from Wednesday.