Jaguar I-Pace Started With Issues and Now Sales Have Plummeted
If you’ve followed the Jaguar I-Pace saga it came out of the gate in 2018 with tons of problems. Range much less than advertised, software gremlins, and more dogged the I-Pace. But many couldn’t resist the handsome design and that Jaguar glow. But now with it facing tougher competition in 2021, sales have plummeted. Honestly, we wonder what took so long?
Everyone from I-Pace owners to Jaguar dealers had issues
We chronicled some of the problems new I-Pace owners were having from forum posts that should have scared away any potential buyers, it was that bad. Even the dealerships had problems because many of the technicians weren’t trained for EVs. So owners brought their I-Pace in with various problems and the dealers had no clue.
But sales started increasing as the years went on, and 2021 should have seen some great numbers with the dearth of new and used vehicles hampering automakers. But in the fourth quarter alone the SUV could only muster 2,558 sales. That was a 67 percent year-over-year plunge.
The I-Pace was averaging around 2,500 sales per quarter, for a grand total of 9,970 sold in all of 2021. We know Jaguar is a low-volume luxury producer, but under 10 grand is a poor showing any way you look at it. That amounts to a little over 10 percent of all Jag sales last year.
When the I-Pace debuted Jaguar expected much stronger sales
When the I-Pace debuted in 2018, sales were expected to be much higher than how it started. Under 7,000 of the EV were sold that year, but keep in mind it wasn’t released until the spring. Sales rose in 2019 to 17,335, indicating the I-Pace was gaining traction, along with the whole EV segment.
That number pretty much held in 2020 with just under 16,500 finding buyers. But the 2021 figures show a 40 percent drop from 2020. Yet Jaguar is trying to paint a pretty picture. After four years of production, the I-Pace hit 50,000 sold cumulatively around the world.
Used models are selling below $60,000
We took a look at used I-Pace EVs in the Orange County, California area. All 2019 I-Pace EVs are listed at under $60,000. Some are even hovering around $50,000. The new 2021 models are listed for between $65,000 and over $80,000 for the HSE top-of-the-line I-Pace.
So what has Jaguar done to improve the 2022 models? Faster charging and a new infotainment system are the main changes. An 11-kilowatt onboard charger for Level 2 AC charging and a 100 kW fast-charging capacity are new. So you can have 63 miles more of range in just 15 minutes.
The Pivi Pro infotainment system has migrated to the I-Pace from Land Rover and other Jaguar vehicles. Multi-phone Bluetooth pairing and Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are included in the package as well. A 3D surround-view camera, digital rearview mirror, and improved over-the-air updates are still more news for 2022.
