Jaguar's New App Might Make I-Pace Ownership Easier

08/03/2019

New phone app and online range calculator will help customers see whether the car is suitable for their needs.

Jaguar has launched a smartphones app designed to make ownership of its fully-electric I-Pace SUV easier.

The app, which is available for Apple and Android devices, is designed to show drivers whether the eco-friendly 4×4 could fit into their daily lives by measuring how far they drive. The app then calculates the potential cost savings of running an I-Pace, as well as showing drivers how much battery would have been used on each trip and how often an I-Pace would have to charge to meet the same demands.

Data already logged by the ‘Go I-Pace’ app over more than 35,000 journeys has shown that the average user racks up 216 miles per week, with the average journey coming in at around 8.5 miles. As a result, Jaguar says 87 percent of British drivers could manage their entire weekly mileage with a maximum of two full charges of an I-Pace, while just over half of us (52 percent) would only need to charge once every seven days.

As a result, Jaguar claims the I-Pace would be “cost-effective” for customers, particularly those with an approved 7kW AC wall box installed at home. With that, drivers could charge the vehicle from empty to 80 percent full in just over 10 hours, and owners could choose when the vehicle starts charging in order to take advantage of cheaper energy tariffs.

Joanna Hewitt, from Jaguar Land Rover’s digital innovations team, said the app would show drivers the advantages of going electric with the I-Pace, which costs just under £61,000 once the government’s Plug-In Car Grant incentive is applied.

“The Go I-Pace app was designed to demonstrate how EV (electric vehicle) ownership can benefit drivers, particularly in understanding journey impact on range and how often they would need to plug in,” she said. “Looking at the data we have had so far it is clear to see that not only is I-Pace ownership cost-effective, it is extremely convenient too.”

At the same time, Jaguar has also launched a new online tool designed to show drivers how an I-Pace’s range is affected by optional extras and external conditions. The range calculator takes air temperature, wheel size and other features into account, revealing their impact on the vehicle’s 292-mile maximum range.

The calculator shows that maximum range can be achieved on 18-inch alloy wheels during urban driving, with an average speed of around 17 mph and an external temperature of 20 degrees. Assuming those conditions remain unchanged, the calculator shows that simply switching the air conditioning on will reduce the range by 32 miles. Meanwhile, the calculator says driving in temperatures of -10 degrees on the motorway, using the heater and riding on 22-inch alloys will see the range plummet to 121 miles.