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The All New Jaguar I-Pace

In 2016, Jaguar design chief Ian Callum told Digital Trends that electrification gave his team more freedom to design a car. “Watch this space,” he said with a broad smile when we asked about what he had in store. The model he was talking about is the 2019 I-Pace. It's the firm's first-ever battery-electric vehicle. It’s also Tesla’s first serious competitor.

Jaguar bluntly said “to hell with tradition.” The I-Pace doesn’t use a straight-six engine and it doesn’t wear the long hood, short decklid proportions that characterize fan favorites like the F-Type. The British firm’s designers instead pushed the wheels toward the corners to extend the wheelbase in a bid to create a spacious, luminous cabin without stretching the overall footprint. Mission accomplished. Once inside, the driver faces a tech-led dashboard Jaguar calls the flight deck that’s equipped with a trio of screens.

The I-Pace’s drivetrain consists of a large, 90-kWh lithium-ion battery pack located under the passenger compartment. Think of the platform as a skateboard, but don’t try to do a kickflip with it; it’s made by Jaguar, not World Industries. The battery powers two electric motors that deliver 394 horsepower, and it holds enough electricity for up to 240 miles of range.

With the I-Pace, Jaguar made a quick, high-tech, and stylish car that just happens to be electric. And by acting fast, it enviably launched the I-Pace into a class of one.

- By Ronan Glon