Battery Size: 90kWh
Miles per kWh: 3.24
Max charge rate: 104 kW
Range: 292 miles 
Introduction & history
Although it’s a familiar sight now, the I-Pace was surprisingly radical when it was first launched. While Mercedes and Audi shoved electric powertrains into the bodyshells of existing SUV shapes, Jaguar went wild with a purpose-built design which was electric from the ground up. It looked futuristic, with a design which blended an SUV with a hatchback coupe.
It didn’t change very much in the years it was on sale, so unless you are an expert it will be difficult to tell one of the first from one of the last. But there are some specifications and manufacturing years to avoid – or at least only buy with your eyes wide open.
So the basics: all I-Paces come with a large 90kWh battery pack, and they all have two motors front-and-back to give just under 400bhp and all-wheel drive. It’s one of the best-handling and most fun electric cars out there - and it has been from the start.
Get a good one and it is a joy to drive and own. We’d just suggest you make sure the warranty cover is good and you have a battery check.
What’s the real-world range of a used Jaguar I-Pace?
The claimed range with a full battery when new is between 258 miles for the early version on the biggest wheels and 292 for last models on smaller rims. There were some software tweaks to make the older cars more efficient - increasing the car’s range by up to 12 miles - so it’s worth checking that any used I-Pace has received all the best software. This should’ve happened automatically if the car was connected or had dealer servicing.
Bear in mind that the bigger wheels will sap energy and the battery on the oldest models might only have 80% of its original capacity now.
How long will the battery on the Jaguar I-Pace last?
This is a big question. Jaguar has faced big battery problems on the I-Pace, and as a result has bought back hundreds and recalled thousands of cars. Those that remain have clearly been fixed, but they still have a patchy record of battery longevity compared to rivals.
We looked at the battery test data of 10 used I-Paces and it varied between 81% of the original capacity for a seven year old car with 76,000 miles to 97% for a three year old version with 20,000 miles. There were some worrying figures in the low 80s for five year olds with 40-45,000 miles. It’s very rare to see an Audi or Mercedes with a figure in the low 80s.
This would suggest that the Jaguar is more susceptible to battery management than other cars, and when you buy used you really want to be on the look out for a car which has been carefully charged and looked after. Look out for dealers which are able to show you a battery health score certificate.
How reliable is a used Jaguar I-Pace and what are the common problems?
The worrying battery problems which led to so many I-Paces being bought back and even crushed should now be ancient history, so any remaining cars should have the issues sorted. Then there has been a long list of recalls which have been carried out, ranging from the brakes to cracks in the bodyshell.
If you check out internet forums about the iPace, you’ll find plenty of people talking about laggy and frozen infotainment screens, and although it might look like one, none of Jag’s systems are as slick as your mobile phone. This infotainment system is one of our few gripes about this car, as is the climate control - which is unnecessarily complicated to use.
We know owners who have been deeply frustrated by reliability, but others (like our own COO Ben Margolis) who had four trouble free years. One way to check is to see if there have been multiple owners, which suggests no one likes the car long enough to keep it.
There were also a lot which were sold to big fleets to be working vehicles - other than the Waymo cars used to test self-driving kit, there are hundreds which were sold to the NHS and even taxi fleets. That's not necessarily a bad thing, but they will have had a hard life, so check parts like the interior trim carefully.
Which is the best version to buy?
There were some great lease deals on the I-Pace when it was new, but they tended to be on the lower spec S models. While these had generous equipment levels, the standard 18-inch wheels must’ve been designed to make people upgrade as they look a bit silly. It’s one of the only occasions we recommend the bigger rims, even if they do knock off a few miles of range.
The Jag is a luxury car, so even the base S variant had plenty of nice things, including LED headlights, a 12.3in InControl infotainment system with DAB radio and a rear view camera, plus automatic emergency braking, lane-keeping assistance and traffic sign recognition. The mid-range SE - the one that you might see most of on the second-hand market - got add-ons like bigger and better-looking 19 and optional 20in wheels, adaptive cruise control, blind spot monitoring and an electric tailgate, while big-daddy HSEs have heated and cooled front seats plus heated rear seats, matrix LED headlights and a few other nice trinkets.
After that, it was all down to the options list, including things like giant 22-inch rims and flashy paint, but essentially it’s just an options game. The cars with the optional air-suspension DO feel a bit more comfortable though, and can lift themselves up a bit if you need to drive over some rough stuff - so they’re worth looking out for.
Changes to the 2021 model year were limited to some tech upgrades - with different paint choices, together with 19-inch wheels as standard to replace those horrid 18s on the S version. You could have ‘Atlas Grey’ grille tips and a Bright pack that smartens up some bits of trim on the bodywork.
But other than that iPaces all look pretty much the same. From 2021 we got 11kw on-board home charging, which might be useful if you can plug in to an industrial supply at work. This was later upgraded to 22kW. The DC rapid charging remained the same at 100kW, which is a bit behind some of the German rivals and seems slow by modern standards.
The newer cars also got a camera-toting rear view mirror called ‘Clearsight’ which can replace the reflected view that you would normally see in the mirror with one from a camera lens. It also has a totally overhauled infotainment system called Pivi Pro, which does all sorts of funky stuff - though it’s wise to point out that none of the Jaguar’s infotainment gear has been without criticism.
They did improve over time and the iPace is capable of receiving over-the-air updates, so it’s a matter of checking that everything’s updated to the latest version.
How long is the warranty?
The iPace came with a three year unlimited mileage warranty and the battery is covered for eight years from new, with a 100,000-mile limit. As with all cars, this cover will be dependent on the servicing being up to date, so check the stamps are there. If the manufacturer’s warranty has expired check what is still valid from any used dealer and if there is an option to extend. Before you cough up, make sure it will cover the expensive bits which could fail too - a lot of third party cover is VERY selective when it comes to paying up.
What are the ownership and running costs of a Jaguar I-Pace
Servicing is required every two years or 21,000 miles, and generally costs about £200, so again, check that the car has had the right stuff done to it at the right time. There’s a big service after six years that’s a bit more involved, so add it to your budget if you're getting an early car.
As of March 2024, the Jaguar I-Pace is no longer directly compatible with the Intelligent Octopus Go tariff due to JLR software changes that blocked third-party API access. That's a shame, and could cost the average driver around £75 more in energy costs.
What other cars should I consider?
The obvious rivals are the Germans with the Mercedes EQC and EQB, BMW iX3, plus Audi’s Q4 and e-tron. The BMW is certainly more efficient than most of these but the Audis are better packaged.
Don’t dismiss some off-piste choices too, such as the Polestar 2, which shares its mechanicals with the Volvo XC40. If you’re not a badge snob then have a look at the Skoda Enyaq, Volkswagen ID.4, Kia EV6 and Hyundai IONIQ 5 too.
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