Racing-derived software upgrade boosts Jaguar I-Pace range, automaker says

In a strict numerical sense, the Jaguar I-Pace range is already in a reasonably competitive position, with the all-electric vehicle officially rated at 234 miles according to EPA estimates.

On Monday, however, Jaguar announced that the range of the all-electric luxury crossover  is getting at least an “unofficial” boost through a software upgrade that leverages battery management approaches tested on the track for the I-Pace eTrophy race series. 

While competing electric automaker Tesla pushes software upgrades out to vehicles over the air, the process will be a bit more involved for Jaguar I-Pace owners, who will need to take their vehicles to the nearest Jaguar dealer to receive the free upgrade.

From a regulatory point of view, the automaker apparently finds it necessary to be a little wishy-washy about just how much of a boost the software upgrade provides for the Jaguar I-Pace range. Here’s how Jaguar’s press release positions the range boost:

While the new software upgrade doesn’t change the official certified range figure, the marginal gains developed from eTrophy analysis will give customers access to an improvement of up to eight percent dependent on usage—equating to a potential extra 12 miles of real-world range.

If it’s real, that 12 miles pushes the Jaguar I-Pace range close to 250 miles, making the acclaimed luxury crossover even more competitive on the EV market. In comparison, the official standard range of the Tesla Model 3 is 220 miles, according to Edmunds, although Tesla does offer an extended-range option to increase that distance between charges substantially.

Among the features of the software upgrade that help the Jaguar I-Pace achieve greater efficiency and range are:

• Refinements to the management of torque distribution between the front and rear motors of the all-wheel-drive vehicle
• Tweaks to the temperature-control system that allow radiator vanes to close more frequently, enhancing aerodynamic performance
• More efficient harvesting of energy from regenerative braking

The Jaguar I-Pace has been widely praised for the delivering the levels of luxury, performance, and driving experience that are in keeping with the high-end reputation of the Jaguar marque.

Range and charging time, however, have been matters of concern. On a 240-volt outlet, it can take as much as 13 hours to replenish a 2019 Jaguar I-Pace from empty to fully charged, according to Consumer Reports.

DC fast chargers can get the Jaguar I-Pace battery pack to 80 percent in about 40 minutes. But those charging stations aren’t exactly plentiful compared to Tesla superchargers.

For example, according to the Alternative Fuels Data Center, there are only three non-Tesla DC fast charging stations within about six to nine miles of my residence. So with the Jaguar I-Pace, work remains to be done to fully address the issue of range anxiety and practical everyday usability.

One thing that’s intriguing about the electrification of high-end luxury vehicles like Jaguars, however, is what will happen as the EVs start working their way into the used market.

According to Edmunds, the 2020 Jaguar I-Pace starts at US$69,850. Gas-powered European luxury cars have a tendency to “fall off a cliff” in resale value, making them theoretically affordable to buyers of more modest means.

But one of the reasons for the rapid depreciation is that those very same buyers of more modest means are hesitant to buy used European luxury cars due to concerns about finicky—and very expensive—repair and maintenance needs as the miles and years pile on, compared to U.S. and Asian vehicles.

In theory, if the depreciation dynamic ends up being similar, the theoretically lower maintenance requirements of EVs could go a long way toward allaying some of those concerns.

This, perhaps, could make the European luxury-car experience more accessible to more people on the used market.

On the other hand, those same virtues, along with the cool factor and the green factor, might also help imported luxury EVs hold more of their value for a longer time.

The idea of owning a moderately used, affordable Jaguar, low maintenance due to an electric powertrain does have its appeal. It will be interesting to see just how these dynamics play out as the market gains more experience with luxury EVs.

But remember: much of the exciting technology that makes these remarkable electric vehicles possible is relatively new, and relatively untested against the real-world rigors of everyday driving over a period of years.

So just as European luxury vehicles have earned a reputation for reliability issues and maintenance headaches, this new class of vehicles could be subject to a new set of gremlins all their own.