Lessons learnt on the race track have led to an update for the all-electric Jaguar I-Pace, now featuring more driving range thanks to battery advancements developed through motorsport.
Last year, when Jaguar first announced a racing version of its electric crossover, the I-Pace, we all looked at
the calendar, but it was nowhere near April 1. The Brits were serious, if that’s what you can call taking an
SUV to the race track.
Now the Jaguar I-Pace eTrophy is going into its second full season of racing, paving the way for zero-
emission vehicles in motorsport with a full grid of drivers.
The single-make series invites wealthy enthusiasts to pay for a seat that includes full support throughout the season, which takes in 10 rounds sanctioned by the FIA ( Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile), the same body that governs Formula 1 and the all-electric Formula E series.
To be one of 20 drivers on the grid, all you need to do is pay roughly half a million pounds for a seat, and
you get to be the opening act for 10 rounds of the Formula E championship. This includes races on the city
streets of Mexico City, Rome, Paris, London, and New York. Even with such a hefty price tag, Jaguar sold all the drives for this zero-emission crossover championship, and the exercise wasn’t just in the name of
profit.
After one full season of racing, the British manufacturer has taken technical knowledge gained on the track
to develop a free software upgrade for the I-Pace. Engineers were able to optimise battery management
and thermal systems to increase the total driving range, and any customer who owns an I-Pace can get the
update installed at a Jaguar retailer. The company promises 20km of additional real-world range on a full
charge, which represent an 8% gain, depending on how heavy your right foot is.
“The Jaguar I-Pace eTrophy has generated a huge amount of data for us to analyse and those marginal
gains, derived from competition on the track, are now being applied to customers’ cars to further enhance
their driving experience,” says Stephen Boulter, I-Pace vehicle engineering manager.
“The new software updates optimise the powertrain control systems to improve efficiency and allow I-Pace drivers to travel even further on a single charge without any hardware changes – it really is a case of the vehicle getting better with age.”
With a dedicated electric platform and a 90kWh lithium-ion battery laid out along the floor powering two
motors, the I-Pace is capable of accelerating from rest to 100km/h in 4.5 seconds and, optimally, does
470km on a full charge.
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