Jaguar I-Pace to Challenge Tesla Model X

Jaguar Land Rover has priced its first all-electric vehicle, the 2019 I-PACE crossover SUV, a sporty five-seater at USD 69,500 in the US market. This will make it a serious challenger to the Tesla Model X as its base price would be USD 10,000 less than the standard Tesla Model X.

Jaguar has unveiled the 2019 I-Pace ahead of the Geneva International Motor Show. The lower sticker price will allow the Jaguar model to remain competitive when in the luxury electric vehicle market, which has hitherto been monopolized by Tesla.

The Tesla model does offer motorists several advantages, though. It can accommodate seven people compared to the five in the I-Pace. Motorists can choose from a range of different battery pack sizes including one from which they can get as much as 295 miles of range on a single charge. Tesla is also working on expanding its network of fast-chargers called Superchargers which are located off major highways in the US so that motorists have no worries when it comes to long-distance travel.

Jaguar Land Rover is bent on becoming a serious challenger to Tesla. The company has announced that it will be investing USD 1.5 billion on new facilities and better customer experiences over the next five years in North America. Jaguar Land Rover has as many as 207 total dealerships comprising 166 Jaguar franchises. All the Jaguar dealers have begun installing electric vehicle charging equipment as part of the preparations for the launch of the I-PACE. The distributors are also engaged in providing training for their sales and service employees so that they can understand the requirements of the electric vehicle market better. This has been a major failing of other automotive manufacturers and their dealerships and has contributed to their lower sales of hybrid and electric vehicles.

Jaguar Land Rover will be launching the 2019 I-Pace crossover SUV in the US at the retail level in three trim levels, the S, SE, and HSE versions. There will also be a first edition model in the HSE variant.