Jaguar's new I-Pace luxury electric vehicle was last night named a triple winner at the annual world car of the year awards in New York.
The I-Pace was named overall 2019 World Car of the Year, the 2019 World Green Car of the Year and the World Car Design of the Year winner.
It is the first time in the World Car Awards' 15 year history that one car has achieved wins over three categories.
The awards were announced at the beginning of the New York motor show last night.
Other category winners included the Suzuki Jimny ( urban car of the year), Audi A7 ( luxury car of the year) and the McLaren 720S ( performance car of the year).
The chief executive officer of Jaguar Land Rover Prof Dr Ralf Speth said the award gave the I-Pace the recognition it deserved.
“We started with an ideal, to move towards our Destination Zero vision; zero emissions, zero accidents and zero congestion. I-PACE is our first step to achieving this, and it was conceived when EVs were little more than a niche choice," he said.
“So we started from a clean sheet of paper to create a new benchmark - the world's best premium electric vehicle, and a true Jaguar driver's car.
“For I-PACE to be awarded 2019 World Car of the Year, World Car Design of the Year and World Green Car gives our first all-electric vehicle the ultimate recognition it deserves. I would like to thank the team who have created I-PACE for their passion in making it so outstanding.”
Designed and developed in the UK, the zero-emissions I-PACE is attracting customers worldwide, and for many it will be their first electric vehicle and their first Jaguar – to date, over 11,000 customers in more than 60 countries have taken delivery. The balance of sports car performance, exceptional refinement and true SUV practicality make I-PACE the stand-out choice in its segment.
Jaguar Director of Design, Ian Callum said: “Designing Jaguar cars is probably the best job in the world, and I can honestly say that no other project I’ve worked on has been as rewarding as I-PACE."
Electric vehicles offered designers unprecedented freedom to rethink the proportions, the profile and the packaging, and it had been an opportunity his team has exploited in full.
Judges said the I-PACE’s dramatic, cab-forward profile, short overhangs and taut, muscular haunches gave it a sense of drama which set it apart from other SUVs. The spacious interior – enabled by the bespoke electric vehicle architecture – is finished with beautiful premium details and exacting Jaguar craftsmanship.
I-PACE has a 90kWh lithium-ion battery and delivers a range of around 500km. It’s capable of charging from 0-80% in just 40 minutes (100kW DC), or takes just over ten hours to achieve the same state of charge when using a domestic wallbox (7kW AC).
A suite of smart, range-optimising technologies also include a battery pre-conditioning system: when plugged in the I-PACE will automatically raise (or lower) the temperature of its battery to maximise range ahead of driving away.
The I-PACE has also earned a five-star Euro NCAP safety rating. The body structure provides high levels of occupant protection, and is complemented by technologies designed to protect other road users and pedestrians, including a deployable bonnet and autonomous emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection.
The JAGUAR I-PACE was chosen from an initial entry list of 40 vehicles in the World Car of the Year award category, then a short list of three finalists as announced in Geneva on March 5. The 2019 Top Three in the World finalists for the category were the Audi e-tron, the Jaguar I-PACE and the Volvo S60/V60.
To be eligible for the 2019 World Green Car award, a vehicle had to employ some significant form of advanced technology specifically to enhance its environmental responsibility, be produced in volumes of at least 1,000 units/year, and be on-sale on at least one continent prior to May 31, 2019.