Fast-Charging The Ice-Cool I-PACE Â
By Bennett Oghifo
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Jaguar’s all-electric I-PACE will promise both rapid charging and rapid performance when it goes on sale internationally from March 1.
“Capable of charging in less than 45 minutes* and with sports car performance and SUV practicality, the I-PACE will be the perfect every day car – whether on the school run, daily commute or even coping with sub-zero temperatures,†said a statement by the auto company.
Rigorously tested across extremes of terrain and temperature, the I-PACE has tamed the Arctic at Jaguar Land Rover’s cold weather test facility in Arjeplog, Sweden, at temperatures as low as -40°C, said the automaker’s statement.
Tony Westerlund, a potential customer from Sweden, had some interesting questions on living with the I-PACE in Arctic conditions, particularly regarding stability and traction on the ice and snow. To answer his questions, Jaguar engineers invited him to Arjeplog to drive the car for the first time and see how it’s been tested to ensure performance in extreme conditions:https://youtu.be/ttAWYSxsO7o
Ian Hoban, Jaguar Vehicle Line Director, said: “Not only will the I-PACE charge quickly enough for our customers to carry out their everyday lives, it will offer powerful and precise performance in a variety of conditions and climactic extremes. Allied with the versatile credentials of our celebrated PACE family, this will be an electric performance SUV like no other.â€
Customers will be able to use mains power to prepare the car’s battery and cabin temperature ahead of a journey. Pre-conditioning the car ensures maximum range, performance and comfort whether temperatures are freezing cold or extremely hot. Setting up preferred charging times and pre-conditioning schedules can be done from either the on-board InControl system, or the Remote smartphone app, and is as easy as setting an alarm.
The Jaguar I-PACE will be revealed in a live global broadcast on 20h00 SAST on 1 March 2018, and will go on to make its public premiere at the Geneva Motor Show on 6 March 2018.
Meanwhile, Gerry McGovern, Land Rover Chief Design Officer, was recently named Designer of the Year at the Festival Automobile International. The Grand Prix du Design prize recognises McGovern’s Land Rover designs and their influence across the car industry.Â
The awards are decided by a 15-strong jury from the automotive industry, sport, architecture, fashion, design, culture and the media. Jury members at the Hotel National des Invalides, in Paris, France, included architect Jean Michel Wilmotte, stylist Chantal Thomas, designer Anne Asensio and Etienne Gernelle, President and CEO of Le Point magazine.
Rémi Depoix, President of the Festival AutomobileInternational, said: “Gerry​ McGovern​ has been re​cognised by the jury​ of the 33rd Festival Automobile International of Paris​ for his astonishing masterpiece, the Range Rover Velar​,​​ and for his whole career. One of his remarkable achievements is to adapt Land Rover’s DNA, a transformation that began with the Range Rover Evoque. The British automotive industry has been reinvented in Gerry’s vision and Land Rover is an incredible success story. Congratulations to him and his team.â€
Gerry McGovern, Chief Design Officer, Land Rover, said:
“It’s an incredibly rewarding time to be a designer in the automotive industry and to be recognised by a jury from a wide variety of design disciplines shows the importance of design in all our lives. My team has worked tirelessly to create the most desirable vehicles that our customers will love for life – vehicles that resonate with our customers on an emotional level.â€
“It’s an incredibly rewarding time to be a designer in the automotive industry and to be recognised by a jury from a wide variety of design disciplines shows the importance of design in all our lives. My team has worked tirelessly to create the most desirable vehicles that our customers will love for life – vehicles that resonate with our customers on an emotional level.â€
The all-new Velar, the fourth member of the Range Rover family, fills the space between the Range Rover Evoque and Range Rover Sport.
