Electric cars are fast. Teslas are faster. The I-Pace appears to bridge the gap between the two. This electric car by Jaguar can accelerate from 0-100 km/h in just 4.8 seconds, and it does so like a pouncing jaguar in the wild would, silently.

What defines its design?

It is Jaguar’s first electric car, and looks the part. Like an electric car it looks futuristic, and like a traditional Jaguar it has design elements borrowed from the company’s cars over the last few decades. At a length of about 4.7 metres, it has massive road presence.

How is the cabin?

It’s plush, to say the least. It’s spacious also for five adults. The boot space is massive, and the front hood has storage space for the charging cable.

Unlike Tesla cars that have a massive central screen (almost like an iPad) and a ‘monotonous’ dashboard, the I-Pace carries forward the traditional luxury car design elements—a person moving from a petrol/diesel car to the I-Pace won’t feel out of place.

This, however, doesn’t mean the dashboard isn’t loaded to the hilt. Whatever controls expected from an electric car are a ‘touch’ away.

How does it drive?

It is insanely fast. While the EQC and the e-tron accelerate faster than similar-sized luxury cars, they don’t really ‘overwhelm’ you with their acceleration. The I-Pace not only overwhelms you, it accelerates so fast that it can make some occupants nervous. This extreme acceleration is not only from 0-100 km/h, but from any speed to any speed. Brakes are equally strong, and provide that feeling of safety.

How much is the range?

It’s an area that doesn’t feel too ‘overwhelming’. While the claimed range is 470 km, when I got the test car it showed battery capacity at 92% and range of 380 km. After having driven 50 km in Delhi traffic, the range dropped to 300 km. However, post that, after driving with a soft foot for another 50 km, the range dropped to just 280 km. You get the point! You need to learn how to drive electric car to maximise driving range.

But if you drive within the city—any city in India—this range is more than enough for a weeklong driving.

Jaguar gives you home wall-box charger with the I-Pace (equipped with an 11 kW AC on-board charger, which can recharge the car overnight and deliver up to 53 km of range per hour). A Mode 2 charging cable is also supplied, which can be used with a domestic socket (up to 6 km of range per hour).

The Mode 3 cable that connects to AC public charging points (typically 50 kW charger) can deliver up to 270 km of range per hour.

Can you drive longer than claimed?

It is possible in electric cars. The I-Pace recovers energy by coasting recuperation when you release the accelerator or by braking recuperation when the brake pedal is pressed. In both cases, the electric motors function as a generator and convert the car’s kinetic energy into electric energy, which then gets stored in the battery. For example, if you are travelling downhill, you will gain range and drive much longer than the claimed 470 km.

Is it worth buying?

Most of the electricity produced in India comes from coal, so an argument in favour of electric cars being environmentally-friendly doesn’t make sense. Moreover, it’s naïve to believe that people buy electric cars because they want to save the environment. They may buy because electric cars look cooler, are loaded with technology, provide a unique driving experience, and that green registration plate stands out.

Priced from Rs 1.06 crore to Rs 1.12 crore, the I-Pace isn’t cheap, but the kind of drive experience it offers, and the number of heads it turns, is priceless.