Jaguar Unveils I-PACE Concept electric SUV in Los Angeles

The Tesla Model X will soon have a direct competitor from English brand Jaguar. During a private evening before the press preview days of the Los Angeles Auto Show, the I-PACE Concept was presented as a foretaste of a production version that will be on sale in 2018.

The Jaguar I-PACE Concept is a performance-oriented SUV that boasts a fully electric, two-motor powertrain fed by a 90-kWh lithium-ion battery pack. Combined output is announced at 400 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque, sent through all four wheels. Jaguar claims a 0 to 96 km/h (0-60 mph) time of about four seconds and a driving range of approximately 350 kilometres.

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The I-PACE Concept boasts a double wishbone front and Integral Link rear suspension, 23-inch wheels as well as a low centre of gravity for what the company calls “Jaguar characteristic ride and handling with outstanding refinement.”

The five-passenger vehicle’s design hints at the C-X75 mid-engine concept unveiled a couple of years ago, but also the current F-PACE. Despite its intermediate size, it rides on rather long 2990-millimetre wheelbase, maximizing cargo and passenger space.

The cockpit presents a mix of Windsor leather upholstery as well as carbon fibre and Alcantara trim. The cantilevered centre console is trimmed with looping metal struts that give access to a storage space below. This design element will turn up in future production models, says Jaguar. Touchscreens, rotary dials, multifunction buttons and HD displays are all featured inside the I-PACE.

See all pictures of the 2018 Jaguar I-Pace Concept