In the continuing saga of compromised Jaguar I-Pace EVs, there’s a new development. Jaguar is buying back loads of I-Pace EVs but there’s a catch: owners must sign a non-disclosure agreement. Hmmmm. Some states require manufacturers that buyback defective vehicles to register the car as a lemon. Obviously, doing so significantly reduces the value of the registered car. But what Jaguar is doing is an end-run around the Lemon Laws. While making it much easier to unwind out of a bad car, it also makes it better for Jaguar. That’s why Jaguar is buying back I-Pace lemons with non-disclosure agreements required.

This whole buyback awakening started just a couple of weeks ago when InsideEVs did a post about Tesla buying back defective cars this way. Consumer protection groups claimed that Tesla was selling lemon cars if purchased back as perfectly running cars. This “lemon laundering” essentially hides any former known issues from new owners. 

Now former I-Pace owners are coming forward through forums saying owners should only “share details of the buyback without much detail.” If they don’t “you’ll be violating the terms of the settlement.” Specifically, Jaguar wants a signed agreement that requires former owners to say Jaguar “resolved the dispute” without any other details.

Jaguar wants signed non-disclosure agreements before I-Pace buybacks

Former owners say returning their lemon I-Pace EVs was a lot more convenient than going through the bureaucracy of filing Lemon Law claims. Numerous entities including InsideEVs have requested copies of the NDAs from Jaguar to see if this can be substantiated. Jaguar replied it did not have any news or comments to share. 

A myriad of issues has plagued the I-Pace since it was first launched in 2019. Motorbiscuit has followed some of the I-Pace forums to chronicle many of the problems owners are facing. Initially, most of the complaints revolved around advertised driving ranges versus actual ranges before a charge is needed. But then other issues popped up. And they kept popping up.

I-Pace issues included software problems, battery control-modules, and battery pack problems

These issues mainly included software problems, battery control-module issues, and battery pack problems. But digging deeper there are tons of complaints on the forums about other issues. And those that are discussed don’t include complaints related to the I-Pace’s two recalls.

The first recall was for the delay in deceleration that caused the I-Pace to need more distance to stop. It was an issue with the regenerative braking system. This could be considered a major safety defect because it affected braking. The second recall was earlier this year for seats not being secured with all of the fasteners required. This could potentially cause seats to become detached from the floor during a crash. 

As stated previously we love the styling of the I-Pace. It stands out from the rest of the EV crossover field. Seeing one in the wild is a rare sight as so few have been sold in the US. We suspect part of this is due to the issues it has faced. But the price, that can top out at $90,000 is a steep price to pay.