Jaguar and Land Rover get electrified in NZ

Tuesday, 19 March 2019

It's not often you hear a car brand acknowledging the groundwork laid by a market rival. However, on occasion of a media preview of two Jaguar and Land Rover firsts – the fully-electric I-Pace and a pair of plug-in hybrid Range Rovers – the New Zealand distributor felt compelled to give credit.

If not for Tesla, a spokesman asked, how dedicated would the mainstream car market have been to electric motoring?

That's as far as Elon ego-polishing went, all the same. From thereon, it was less about 'well done' than 'watch out.' I-Pace heads a Euro EV invasion and the only talk of Tesla otherwise was of seeing trade-ins on the new Jaguar.

With 294kW and 696Nm the Jaguar I-Pace is certainly no slug, knocking of 0 to 100km/h in 4.8 seconds.

Preliminary I-Pace involvement has been limited; less than an hour of driving. Yet, what struck – with almost physical force – was not only the span of its ability but the easy immediacy with which it unveils significant talent.

**READ MORE:

The I-Pace will recharge to 80 per cent in 40 minutes on a fast charge and has a range of up to 480km.

* The SUVs turning to plug-in power

* Electric Jaguar wins European Car of the Year

A large 656 litre boot is complimented by a 27 litre 'froot' or 'front boot'.

* Land Rover trials mobility access system for disabled drivers**

It's a very good electric car, yes. Where it stands out is by registering as a very good electric driving experience; this is definitely no appliance. Any EV can go fast down the straights; most ride well due to the battery weight yet few can zip around corners or leave impression of being involving. In ticking those last boxes, the I-Pace reshapes the electric world.

A full-size Range Rover with a 2.0-litre engine? It does sip fuel at just 2.8L/100km though.

Save for the air suspension making the ride over some yumps a bit floaty, it meets the brand's 'lithe and sporty' remit. Though wholly electric, the steering is quite natural in feedback. The throttle and braking, at least outside of the regen mode, are also well-modulated – a rarity in this category. Above all else, you'd never guess it's a 2.2 tonne car.

This five-seater crossover hatch has to be good. It's a premium product, spanning in S, SE, HSE variants for $159,900, $169,900 and $179,900 respectively. This drive was in an SE with enough extras – including 22-inch rims, the largest available – to narrow the gap on the flagship.

Adding electric motors and batteries doesn't diminish a Range Rover's off-road prowess in the slightest.

NZ-market models are EV400s, so a battery capacity of 90kWh with a range of 480km if going sensibly (that's gauged by WTLP testing conditions, which is as close to real-world driving as current standards get) and as little, according to overseas' reports, of just 300 if nailed. The temptation is there, with a healthy 294kW and 696Nm of torque available from rest.

It'll recharge to 80 per cent in 40 minutes on a fast charge. Presently it's optimised for a 100kWh reboot but once the 150kWh network comes on stream Jaguar will send out a recode that'll accept that loading.

Without need to make provision for an engine, the nose is short and the 'engine bay' is actually a 27-litre front boot ('froot' in Jag-speak) to supplement a rear space that starts at 656 litres and can swell to 1453 when you push the rear seats forward.

The cabin has a modern, minimised layout. The lack of a rotary gear controller seems strange, but of course there's no need. Drive, Park, Reverse are push buttons and most operations run through two touchscreens. The big rotary dials are primarily to adjust cabin temperature but double as seat heater controls. The instrument panel is conventional, but you're glad for the head up display.

So, from this to another big gun, the larger of two new petrol Range Rovers that surely stand best chance of avoiding being labelled gas guzzlers.

The P400e - P for plug-in, 400 representing the horsepower – powertrain implements in the Range Rover Vogue SE for $223,900 – a $2000 premium above the V8 supercharged petrol and turbodiesel editions - and Range Rover Sport HSE Dynamic, for $174,900 (whereas the eight-cylinder petrol and diesel are $167,900).

Land Rover's battery commitment is different to Jaguar's. With the off-roaders the idea is to use electricity as an assistance to fossil-fuelled progress: it's an obvious safeguard off-seal and hybrid integrates easier with the hardware. Alternately saving the EV side for town keeps sweet with urban Greenies.

Ultimately, though, hybrid is because this generation of Rangie simply cannot carry enough batteries to go wholly electric. As is, this set only provisions 51kms' electric running and diminishes towing from 3.5 to 2.5 tonnes. Expect improvement with the next generation models, on a new platform, coming around 2021.

A drivetrain comprising a 2.0-litre, 220kW petrol engine and an 85kW electric motor develops a diesel-ish 297kW and 640Nm of torque. Paired to an eight-speed transmission, the P400e Vogue hits 0-100kmh in 6.8 seconds and the Sport in 6.7s, each going on to a top speed of 220kmh.

They run on pure electric at up to 130kmh, but it hurts. When I took over, just 13kms' EV range remained. Switching to petrol assist saved and showed combined effort is good. The engine strains under harsher acceleration but go easy and there's lots of torque plus best chance of seeing an optimal consumption of just 2.8 litres per 100km.

Recharging via a specific AC box takes just under three hours, or 7.5 hours off a standard household domestic plug.