After EV research, I-Pace ticks all the boxes

Tim Kip is whipping north up Interstate 75 at 80 mph in the 2021 I-Pace he just bought at Jaguar Naples, about 165 miles from home. It's his first drive in his first electric vehicle. Kip loves the way the electric Jag accelerates, the stylish interior with its luxurious materials and the athletic way the I-Pace handles.

But Kip's eyes keep darting from the road to the screen that shows the miles melting away at an alarming rate. Kip, good at crunching numbers, is getting worried.

"That was my first experience with range anxiety," he says with a chuckle. "We made a mistake. The I-Pace has multiple [drive] modes. The economy mode actually makes a difference. We just bought it. We didn't know. And we made the mistake of not putting it in the economy mode. So, instead of getting the 234 miles of range, we got like 190," he said. Kip rolled the silver Jag into the parking lot of his condo with just 26 miles left in the batteries. "And so you learn," he says.

That initial trip took place in February. Since then, about 2,000 stress-free miles have passed under the wheels of Kip's I-Pace. In that time, he's learned to monitor and manage the vehicle's energy needs using an app on his phone.

He's learned how to drive without wasting electricity. He's learned to plan trips that put the I-Pace on the end of a free public charger when possible while he and his wife, Tammy, shop.

Kip said he researched about half a dozen other electric vehicles before choosing the I-Pace, his fourth Jaguar. One vehicle that he might have bought, the Cadillac Lyriq, won't be out for another year.

"I've driven a Tesla. I didn't love it. I thought the interior, for a very expensive car, was minimalistic and not very engaging. I actually found the drive quality was not great. It was like being in a monorail. It felt soulless to me. The instant acceleration was great, but there were too many shortcomings — for me — in the Tesla," he says.

Kip pounced on the Jaguar when the dealership lowered the price.

"I thought it was the right combination of features. I like the long warranty. I like the interior. I like the idea of getting the $7,500 tax credit, which wasn't available from Tesla. The fact that I will have a Jaguar dealership close to me — they are building a new dealership in Lakeland, one town over from me — is very important.

"And I like to have vehicles that are somewhat unique. Cars that flood the roads have a tendency to look boring after a while. I wanted something a little more unique and special, and the I-Pace is certainly that."