Swansway Garages compares two of the hottest electric cars on the market.
Should I buy a Jaguar I-Pace?
The Jaguar I-Pace is a premium SUV which just so happens to be all-electric, don’t discount it just because an electric car wasn’t on your consideration list:
Stunning design which though understated is a real head-turner
Super comfy seats, which still manage to look like high design
Quick off the mark and a range of nearly 300 miles
Should I buy a Tesla Model X?
The Tesla has had this market to itself for three years; is it for you:
Fantastic range of 350 miles coupled with great acceleration
Quirky and flamboyant, styling inside and out
Lots of very funky in-car technology
There are just two all-electric SUVs on sale today – Jaguar’s I-Pace and the Tesla Model X. Here they go head to head…
The I-Pace, with its impressive 298-mile range, is bringing the fight to the only other all-electric SUV currently available in the UK – the Tesla Model X. With both cars’ price at the more premium end of the market, which one should you be thinking of buying? Rebecca drove them back-to-back to compare just what they have to offer.
What do the Jaguar I-Pace and Model X look like?
Electric cars often get the special treatment when it comes to design and they can be an acquired taste. In the case of the Model X it’s certainly best described as very ‘marmite’. The bulbous exterior, falcon wing doors and other touches such as the very large windscreen are not for everyone.
The Jaguar I-Pace, on the other hand, is stunning to look at, elegant and understated, yet still manages to be stylish and sporty. It fits in beautifully with the Jaguar SUV range and is sure to be head-turner wherever it goes.
What’s it like inside the Jaguar I-Pace and Tesla Model X?
When it comes to space, the Model X does have more of it, purely because it can accommodate seven people. With a high roofline, there’s plenty of headroom too. The I-Pace is more coupe-like and compact in design, with five seats.
If you’re looking for something a bit wacky in the I-Pace, you’re looking in the wrong place. The interior is as understatedly Jag as you might expect, echoing its rather beautiful exterior; unfussy, elegant pared back it has everything you need, but it doesn’t shout about it. It’s easy to forget you’re even in an electric car.
For buyers who love tech and like something more off the wall and wacky the Model X has a lot more to offer. The iPad-like screen with Google Maps, Spotify and TuneIn works well and for the show-offs among us, the falcon wing doors are a real treat.
What’s it like to drive the Jaguar I-Pace and Tesla Model X?
If you spend a lot of time in the car, the I-Pace is where you’d want to be. The seats may appear sculptural, sporty and sexy and thus unlikely to be comfy, but you’d be wrong, they’re actually very comfortable indeed. Pair that with the optional air-suspension and it feels like the Jag is softly wafting you down the road.
Meanwhile, the seats in the Model X aren’t very comfy for long journeys and the car does rather rattle across bumps, although it also has air-suspension that can be modified and this counteracts some of this.
And who said electric cars are all like milk floats? If there’s one thing EVs do have going for them, with all that instant torque, it’s great pace off the line. While the middle of the range 100D Model X can hit 60mph in 4.7 seconds, the I-Pace will do it in 4.5.
However, opt for the Tesla’s more powerful P100D and that time drops to 2.9 seconds. The Tesla also wins on top speed, being able to reach 155mph when the Jaguar can only do 124.
Should I have range anxiety?
Since its launch in 2015, the Model X has been putting other electric vehicles to shame, with the 100D boasting a 351 mile range on one charge. However, the I-Pace is within touching distance of this with a range of 298 miles on one charge. Both figures mean that, day-to-day, most people wouldn’t ever have to worry about charging away from home.
Unless you drive extremely carefully, you’re unlikely to get these higher ranges out of either car, but you can certainly drive your electric SUV without any range anxiety.
What are the prices of the Jaguar I-Pace and Tesla Model X?
The Model X starts at £71,350 for the lower powered 75D version, but jumps to £88,050 for the 100D or £128,250 for P100D models.
The I-Pace starts at £63,495 for the S and climbs to £74,445 for the top HSE model or £81,495 for the highly specified First Edition model.
However, both models are eligible for the £4,500 Government grant.
Jaguar I-Pace vs Tesla Model X Verdict
For its quirkiness, range and extra seats, the Model X has a lot of appeal. However, if you’re looking for a premium SUV that just so happens to be powered by a long-range electric powertrain then the I-Pace is a very compelling choice.
