Local pricing of new Jaguar I-Pace SUV to start at R1,687,200

Jaguar has revealed pricing for the upcoming I-Pace electric SUV which arrives in SA early in 2019, and going green doesn’t come cheap.

The Eskom-powered vehicle will be available in three trim grades, while a limited run of First Edition models will act as range-toppers for a year.

All variants have identical powertrains comprising a 90kWh battery positioned in the floor for a low centre of gravity, and two axle-mounted synchronous electric motors paired with concentric single speed transmissions.

Its 294kW power and 696Nm torque is enough to launch the all-wheel drive SUV from 0-100km/h in a claimed 4.8 seconds, and a single full charge provides a range of up to 470km on the worldwide harmonised light vehicle test procedure cycle — more than enough to cover an average 300km weekly commute, Jaguar says.

Though the running costs are cheap the initial outlay isn’t, with the I-Pace to retail between R1,687,000 and R1,920,700 — representing huge premiums over Jaguar’s similarly-sized but combustion-powered F-Pace SUV which ranges in price from R785,704 to R1,208,559.

It would take a long time for fuel-cost savings to make up the price difference. For instance, the range-topping F-Pace 35T AWD S, which with its 280kW and 450Nm is the most similar in outputs to the I-Pace, uses about 36l of petrol over the 300km weekly commute. This means that at current petrol and electricity prices it would take about 26 years of driving the top-of-the-range I-Pace to make back its R712,141 price premium over the F-Pace in fuel savings.

The higher I-Pace models will be fairly comprehensively equipped with comforts such as powered tailgates, full electric front seats, adaptive cruise control and blind spot assist.

Jaguar, in partnership with electric vehicle charging authority GridCars, has laid the foundation for the future of electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles in SA with 82 new public charging stations in major hubs and along frequently travelled holiday routes. The R30m infrastructure investment will make day-to-day travel, as well as longer day trips and even very long journeys possible for owners of electric vehicles.

In addition to the publicly available charging stations to be installed in customer parking areas at every Jaguar Land Rover retailer in SA, 30 public charging stations will be erected at various points of convenience, such as shopping centres, in the country’s major hubs including Johannesburg, Pretoria, Durban, Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, East London and Bloemfontein.

SA’s city centres will now also be connected by the Jaguar Powerway — a series of 22 charging stations along the N3 between Gauteng and Durban and the N1 between Gauteng and Cape Town. Cape Town will also be connected to the Garden Route with a series of charging stations along the N2 all the way to East London.

Most charging stations will be 60kWh fast chargers, meaning 100km of range will take 20 minutes. A charge from 0% to 80% will take about 72 minutes.

At current tariffs the rate for 1kWh on the card will be R3-R3.50 depending on where it’s redeemed. With a 90kWh battery, a full recharge in an I-Pace will cost R270-R315.

Pricing

Jaguar I-Pace S — R1,687,200 Jaguar I-Pace SE — R1,745,400 Jaguar I-Pace HSE — R1,820,900 Jaguar I-Pace First Edition — R1,920,700

Pricing for home charging stations will be announced in early 2019. Home charging cables compatible with normal wall sockets come as standard equipment.