Jaguar has yet to officially unveil the production version of its new I-Pace electric SUV, but its already in production in Austria. Magna Steyr has been tasked with producing the I-Pace, with the first models due to go on sale in Europe later this year, although the U.S. will have to wait until next year to get it.
The Jaguar I-Pace will arrive in the U.S. in the second half of 2018
Jaguar will likely unveil the 2018 I-Pace in September at the 2017 Frankfurt Motor Show. When it arrives in the United States in the second half of 2018, it will likely be sold as a 2019 model. Wondering how Jaguar managed to take the I-Pace from concept to production so fast?
Karl-Friedrich Stracke, Magna Steyr’s president of vehicle technology and engineering revealed to Automotive News that the independent vehicle manufacturer was involved in the process from the start. Jaguar Land Rover engineers created the I-Pace, while Magna’s engineers figured out the production process.
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“We were invited very early in the product development time frame in order to provide our process and manufacturing engineering proposals,” Stracke stated. “We tried to include the right processes in the product early on. In other words, do the product design the right way from the start. We led from the manufacturability point of view. We did this for every function — body exterior, drivetrain, body interior, body in white, paint. We did this with all functions and optimized the design.”
The I-Pace represented some production challenges with its aluminum body, electric motors positioned on both axles and its large battery pack in the floor.
When the I-Pace does arrive, it will be a direct rival to the Tesla Model X. The I-Pace will have a 90-kilowatt-hour battery that will give it a driving range around 220 miles. The electric motors will also generate a combined output of 400 horsepower and 516 lb-ft. of torque.
“The acceleration is unbelievable; it is faster than Tesla. You press the accelerator and it pushes you back into the seat. The steering is very agile and nimble and you don’t feel the mass of the car,” Stracke said.
Source: Automotive News
