The Jaguar I-PACE is many things, but a 'Tesla Killer' it is not.
There are many electric cars that have been branded as a “Tesla Killer,” but the one closest to hitting the mark (apart from the Chevy Bolt, which GM is strangely not aggressively selling to compete against the Model 3) is the Jaguar I-PACE. A crossover all-electric SUV, the I-PACE is powerful enough, and it even has a decent range of about 200 miles per charge.
But is it a Tesla Killer? Not really.
There is no doubt that the I-PACE is a great electric car. Its performance is not bad either, with a 0-60 mph time of 4.5 seconds, which is quicker than the Tesla Model X 100D. Size-wise, the I-PACE is quite a bit smaller than the Model S and X, being closer in size to the Model 3. Starting at $69,500, the Jaguar I-PACE sits right at the same price point as the entry-level Model S, the 75D, according to WIRED. That said, inasmuch as the I-PACE’s cost is justifiable considering the price of its competition, it falls a little bit when compared to a Model 3 of the same price.
The Tesla Model 3 starts at $35,000, though the base variant is not being manufactured by Tesla as of yet, according to a Top Gear report. The Model 3’s top-tier variant, the Model 3 Performance, is in the same price point as the entry-level Jaguar I-PACE, costing $64,000 before any options. For that $64,000, the Model 3 has roughly the same space as the I-PACE, but with superior speed, range, and performance.
The Model 3 Performance is designed to beat high-performance cars like the BMW M3 and the Audi RS5. Its acceleration is pretty brutal, allowing the electric vehicle to sprint from 0-60 mph in 3.5 seconds. The Tesla’s range is also 315 miles per charge, and it is supported by the company’s Supercharger network, which is growing by the day. As noticed by these specs, the Model 3 Performance before any options actually outperforms the Jaguar I-PACE, and it travels farther per charge too.
While it is easy to market a new EV as a Tesla Killer, it should be noted that the more accurate term for this new line of electric cars is a “fossil fuel car killer,” in the way that they boast specs and performance figures that surpass that of gasoline-powered vehicles. Thus, instead of trying to “kill” Tesla, a company that exclusively manufactures electric cars, it would be far better to compare the I-PACE to competing gasoline cars instead.