Jaguar's Electric Racing Crossover is Real and It's Awesome

Sam McEachern
by Sam McEachern

The Jaguar I-Pace has already proven itself to be a formidable entry into the quickly expanding electric crossover segment, but now Jaguar’s proving it can perform on the track as well.

The Jaguar I-Pace eTrophy is a spec racing car for an upcoming one-make racing series that will follow the Formula E calendar. It’s based on the production I-Pace, but features dedicated racing aerodynamics, lightweight wheels, an FIA compliant rollcage and other motorsport add-ons. It’s not clear if it will be powered by the same powertrain as the stock I-Pace, which uses four electric motors to produce 395bhp and 516lb ft. The production I-Pace also has a 90kWh lithium-ion battery and a range of around 240 miles.

Jaguar rolled out its I-Pace eTrophy for testing during the Berlin ePrix Formula E race this past week, where Formula E founder and CEO Alejandro Agag drove the car for five laps. His initial impressions were positive, but the I-Pace eTrophy’s true test will come when it contests its first race later this year.

SEE ALSO: How Jaguar Made the Electric I-Pace So Good Looking

“The eTROPHY car feels great – it looks like a production road vehicle with the performance of a racecar,” Agag said. “This series is all about bringing new innovative technology to a wider audience, and the Jaguar I-PACE eTROPHY is a perfect platform to do this alongside Formula E. I’ve been a strong supporter of Jaguar since they joined the ABB FIA Formula E Championship and it’s been exciting to help shape the future of the sport alongside them. I look forward to seeing more of these cars line-up on the grid next season.”

Jaguar is expecting 20 of the I-Pace eTrophy cars to race next season – an extremely full grid by any measure. Color us excited – who wouldn’t want to watch 20 electric crossovers beating and banging on the tight and technical circuits that Formula E runs on?

ALSO SEE: Where Is Jaguar Made?

You can see a recap of Michelin’s tire test with the I-Pace eTrophy embedded below ahead of the vehicle’s first race later this year. It’s likely the best look most of will get of the car in motion – unless you were lucky enough to be present for Agag’s demo run in Berlin this past weekend.

Discuss this story on our Jaguar Forum.

Sam McEachern
Sam McEachern

Sam McEachern holds a diploma in journalism from St. Clair College in Windsor, Ontario, and has been covering the automotive industry for over 5 years. He conducts reviews and writes AutoGuide's news content. He's a die-hard motorsports fan with a passion for performance cars of all sorts.

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