When we talk about big hitters in the car game, we almost always speak about this German trio. Audi, BMW, and Mercedes are always at the frontline of new innovations. They’ve basically got the market to themselves in the luxury saloon/hatchback zone. Nobody can compete, and their huge budgets make it easy for them to churn out new models with exciting features all the time.
However, it seems like one British-based brand had a different idea. You remember Jaguar, right? A classic British car manufacturer that pretty much peaked a few decades ago. Jaguar cars are still great, but they’re a rarity on the roads compared to these German powerhouses. What’s more, the cars made by this manufacturer are almost always in direct competition with the flagship cars from the trio mentioned above.
So, it comes as a surprise to see that Jaguar seems to have cracked the code and come up with a car that the others are yet to successfully produce. The Jaguar I-Pace is the car in question, and it’s a crossover SUV with full electric capabilities. In essence, it’s pretty much the only decent long-range electric car on the market to rival Tesla.
This begs the question, how did they achieve this and get one over these old German kings?
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An innovative design
Firstly, it stems from the design. Inside, the I-Pace looks very sleek and futuristic – which is what we’ve come to expect from electric vehicles. At the same time, it retains that classic luxury feel that you know and love from Jaguars. Sure, there are a few elements that look rushed – such as the flooring, but a few car mats will see to that in no time. From the outside, it looks incredible. What they really nailed was this crossover element of blending an SUV with a saloon. It works so well, and this is reflected in how it drives. You get the best of both worlds – long-distance driving with comfortable suspension, but some extra power and quickness. Nothing on offer from any of the top trio can come close to this.
Finding the gap in the market
The trouble that the German manufacturers have is that they’re looking to almost convert existing cars into electric vehicles. This doesn’t always work as people will always prefer the original. With the Jaguar I-Pace, things are slightly different. Instead of trying to reinvent the wheel, they’ve aimed at a gap in the market. There aren’t many electric SUV’s at a reasonable price, with luxury looks and great performance. It’s as simple as that, and they’ve built a car that fits perfectly into this gap!
Personally, I see this as a huge victory for the auto industry as a whole. It’s always good when other manufactures can step up and get one over the big boys. The best thing to happen is that these manufacturers feel compelled to up their games and respond. For the consumer, this can only mean that we’re in for a few excellent electric vehicles in the coming years!
