2019 Jaguar I-Pace revealed: Jag's electric crossover power play

The 2019 Jaguar I-Pace electric crossover SUV broke cover Thursday, catapulting the small luxury automaker into the EV era with its first a long-range, battery-electric vehicle.

The production version follows a long lap of the I-Pace Concept, which we first spotted in 2016 at the Los Angeles auto show.

According to Jaguar, the production version of the I-Pace will boast a 240-mile range from its 90-kwh battery, a combined output of 294 kilowatts (394 horsepower) and 512 pound-feet of torque from two electric motors, all-wheel drive, and a 0-60 mph sprint of 4.5 seconds. Jaguar said it will begin taking orders for the I-Pace on Thursday, but prices in the U.S. won't be announced until next week at the Geneva auto show.

Jaguar said recharging the battery up to 80 percent would take as little as 40 minutes on a DC fast charger at 100 kw. U.S. owners are more likely to initially spot 50-kw DC fast chargers, which take 85 minutes to charge the I-Pace up to 80 percent. Charging at home on a Level 2 charger will take more than 10 hours to 80 percent, nearly 13 hours to fully replenish. Good news: The I-Pace can condition the cabin before daily slogs to heat or cool the crossover before setting off.

2019 Jaguar I-Pace

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2019 Jaguar I-Pace

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2019 Jaguar I-Pace

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The I-Pace plants batteries in a familiar shape for Jaguar. The crossover's nose and front haunches are identifiable, albeit abbreviated. From the profile, the I-Pace sports a wagon-shaped look with a taller ride height and truncated tail. By our eyes, it looks like a smooshed E-Pace with shorter overhangs. Not a bad thing.

At more than a foot longer than the E-Pace, with more than a foot more between the wheels, the I-Pace separates itself from the rest of the Jaguar lineup. Toes to nose, the I-Pace is as long as an XE sedan at about 184 inches, but sports an additional six inches between the wheels. That should be a boon for interior space, considering that Jaguar won't have to worry about traditional mechanical packaging for the I-Pace—the small crossover should be a size up from its exterior dimensions. The I-Pace is constructed on its own all-electric platform.

Jag's electric crossover clocks in at 4,800 pounds, likely due to the liquid-cooled 432 lithium-ion cells powering the car. Jaguar quotes a 50/50 weight distribution for the crossover, which should be helpful for the coming spec racing series. 

2019 Jaguar I-Pace

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The interior isn't an afterthought, either. The I-Pace sports a cribbed version of the automaker's InControl Touch Pro Duo system with a 12.3-inch driver information cluster, 10-inch infotainment screen, and 5.5-inch lower touchscreen for vehicle functions. A giant moonroof opens up the cabin for more interior light, and the center stack dispatches a conventional gear shifter for a control knob.

The I-Pace will be offered in S, SE, HSE, and a limited-run First Edition trim levels.

Jaguar says it'll guarantee the battery for 8 years or 100,000 miles for new owners, and deliveries will begin sometime in the second half of 2018.