The Jaguar I-Pace is apparently not long for this world. According to Autocar, the Jag electric sedan-hatchback-SUV-thing will no longer be a part of the automaker’s all-electric lineup, even as a model to bridge the gap between the internal combustion and EV eras.
This move is reportedly a reversal of previous plans inside Jaguar that would have made the I-Pace “better and better,” and for it to remain on sale with a possible second generation to sit alongside other all-electric Jaguars. That being said, Autocar reports that a precise end date for the I-Pace and other internal combustion-powered Jaguars hasn’t been fully determined while the British automaker waits to see when it can more firmly commit to a launch date for a new range of EVs.
In the past, Jaguar has reportedly said it would reveal its first “new-era” car in late 2024 and launch it in the following year. It’ll be built on the company’s bespoke JEA electric architecture, according to Autocar.
We don’t want the product to be out of the market for too long, partially the electrified one [I-Pace]. 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,” Adrian Mardell, JLR CEO, told Autocar. So we’ve got time – we’ve got nine to 12 months – to work through these decisions.”
He also told the outlet that the I-Pace is now mainly sold in the UK and mainland Europe to help make sure the company is compliant with emissions targets. To be fair, Mardell also said the I-Pace has been a “big help” in steering Jaguar’s development of other EVs.
In terms of sales and output, the all-electric Jaguar lineup is aimed at having about 4,000 sales per month. That’s actually about 1,000 units less than what Jaguar is currently selling. This is because JLR is prioritizing its more profitable models like the Range Rover, Range Rover Sport and Defender. For context, just over 5,600 Range Rovers and about 4,700 Range Rover Sports are sold monthly.
Right now, all of JLR’s largest models are built on the modular MLA architecture. It’ll even be the basis for an all-electric Range Rover in 2024. However, the CEO tells Autocar that Jaguar needs its own bespoke architecture – JEA – to allow for more “exuberant proportions.” What he means by that is wheelbase. He wants these Jag EVs to have long-ass wheelbases.
We don’t know much about how these cars will look, but Mardell assures the outlet that the design language is “gorgeous.” I’m inclined to believe him, because it can’t be worse than the I-Pace.