As Jaguar revamps its lineup to prepare for the electric future, the I-Pace will reportedly be left behind. Jaguar’s new CEO is taking the British luxury automaker in a different direction, with its first next-generation EV, a four-door GT, due out in 2024.
Jaguar I-Pace left out of EV revamp
Jaguar Land Rover CEO Adrian Mardell confirmed the move to Autocar. He said the I-Pace will be discontinued before the company’s relaunch in 2025 (alongside the rest of its current model range).
The company is looking for a fresh start, and the I-Pace will not be included, not even as a bridge vehicle. Meanwhile, when exactly the I-Pace will be retired is yet to be confirmed as the company awaits its next-gen electric platform.
After announcing plans last year to transition its Halewood plant for electric cars, Jaguar confirmed it would build three “reimaged modern luxury Jaguars.” The first will be a four-door electric GT built on its unique JEA platform.
The automaker says the new electric GT will offer more power output than any previous Jaguar with up to 430 miles (700 km) range. It will go on sale in 2024 with a starting price of around $127,626 (£100,000).
Mardell said, “Now we’re waiting for the confidence in JEA. Right now, people are telling me it’s going to be in the first half of 2025. That’s just under two years away. I’d be more confident in that response when we’re nine to 12 months away.”
He added Jaguar has time, saying, “We’ve got nine to 12 months – to work through these decisions.”
With the I-Pace EV primarily sold to ensure Jaguar meets its emissions targets, according to Mardell, it’s time for a revamp.
Jaguar Land Rover revealed it would break into four distinct sub-brands (Range Rover, Defender, Discovery, and Jaguar) as part of its new strategy to maximize profitability across its lineup.
Jaguar will emerge as an entirely electric brand by 2030, while Range Rover, Defender, and Discovery will each release at least one pure EV model.
The I-Pace has been a significant help in developing its other EVs with a better understanding of how they work, but it’s time for a new generation to take over.
New electric Jaguar Land Rover models will be based on the MLA platform, with the first Range Rover EV to launch on it in 2024. However, Mardell said Jaguar needed its own dedicated platform (JEA) to enable “exuberant” proportions.
Electrek’s Take
Jaguar’s first all-electric car, the I-Pace, has had seemingly endless issues in the past, holding it back from its true potential. The automaker announced in June it was recalling all I-Pace EVs in the US over battery fire risks.
Electrek suspected last summer that Jaguar might have a battery problem similar to the Chevy Bolt EV in the I-pace.
However, with a new CEO at the helm, Jaguar looks to move in a new direction. This is a significant change from previous leader Thierry Bollores’ vision of making the I-Pace “better and better.”
It’s about time for a revamp. Check back for more on Jaguar’s new four-door electric GT as it gets closer to launching.
Author: Peter Johnson
Source: Electrek
