Late last year Jaguar released its first electric car, the I-Pace. We liked it so much that it was selected as a finalist for the 2019 AA Driven Car of the Year outright gong, and those who have already purchased an I-Pace are in for a pleasant surprise.
Jaguar has released a new software update for the EV SUV, which helps grow its range while simultaneously helping refine its battery tech.
The British manufacturer claims that the update is good for an extra 20km of range on top of the standard I-Pace's claimed range of up to 470km (although, WLTP ratings for range won't change following the update).
The update centres around Jaguar's updated battery controller, which allows the car to run on a lower state of charge to produce better range returns. Its regenerative braking system has also been re-calibrated, as has its all-wheel drive Eco mode and on-board range calculator.
Over-the-air update capabilities are arguably the most important technology made mainstream by the brainiacs over at Tesla. While Jaguar has recommended to owners that they come into their nearest Jaguar dealer for this update, the update also improves the I-Pace's own over-the-air software update system. So, perhaps down the line, similar upgrades could be implemented without owners having to visit a dealer.
Road test: reviewing the I-Pace, Jaguar's first electric car
The slew of improvements reportedly stem from what Jaguar has learned from its I-Pace eTrophy series — the single-make international racing series currently led by Kiwi Simon Evans.
“The Jaguar I-Pace eTrophy has generated a huge amount of data for us to analyse and those marginal gains, derived from competition on the track, are now being applied to customers’ cars to further enhance their driving experience," Jaguar I-Pace vehicle engineering manager Stephen Boulter told Autocar UK.
“The new software updates optimise the powertrain control systems to improve efficiency and allow I-Pace drivers to travel even further on a single charge without any hardware changes – it really is a case of the vehicle getting better with age.”
To view Jaguar I-Pace vehicles listed for sale on Driven, click here