8 Torque Autos December 2016
JAGUAR ELECTRIFIES WITH I- PACE CONCEPT CAR
he Jaguar I-PACE Concept car is the start of a new era for Jaguar . his is a production preview of the Jaguar I- PACE , which will be revealed next year and on the road in 2018 . Customers can register now at jaguar . com to be one of the irst I-PACE owners .
Jaguar ' s engineering and design teams have torn up the rule book to create a bespoke electric architecture , matched with dramatic design . he result is a nocompromise smart , ive seat sports car and a performance SUV in one .
Ian Callum , Director of Design , said : " he I-PACE Concept represents the next generation of electric vehicle design . It ' s a dramatic , future-facing cabforward design with a beautiful interior - the product of authentic Jaguar DNA , electric technology and contemporary cratsmanship .
" Our virtual reality reveal today has pushed technology boundaries as well , and captures the hi-tech essence of the concept car . We only have one concept car and it is in LA for the reveal . For the irst time , VR has allowed us share it across the globe in the most immersive way possible ."
his unique and world-irst ' social VR ' reveal is believed to be the largest live and connected VR event of its type to date . hroughout the day more than 300 guests were transported into a specially created life-like virtual space , into which , two of the car ' s creators , Ian Callum and Ian Hoban were projected .
From VR hubs in Los Angeles and London , groups of 66 guests including A-list stars Michelle Rodriguez , Miranda Kerr and James Corden , used HTC Vive Business Edition headsets , powered by Dell Precision workstations , to put themselves inside the concept car and interact live with other participants . Guests ' sat ' on the concept ' s virtual seats , had a 3600 view of Venice Beach as the concept was built piece by piece around them , and saw the I-PACE Concept race towards them across a virtual desert .
Dr Wolfgang Ziebart , Jaguar Land Rover , said : " his is an uncompromised electric vehicle designed from a clean sheet of paper : we ' ve developed a new architecture and selected only the best technology available . he I-PACE Concept fully exploits the potential EVs can offer in space utilisation , driving pleasure and performance ."
he state-of-the-art electric motors and 90kWh lithium-ion battery pack were designed in-house by Jaguar Land Rover to give the best possible performance and range for most daily journeys . Where ever you are in the world you can simply plug your car into a wall socket overnight , and have more than enough range to complete the average daily commute of around 50 km .
For rapid charging , using a typical public 50 KW DC charging network , a full charge will take just over 2 hours . Enough to deliver more than 220 miles range ( measured on the US EPA test cycle ) or more than 500 km range ( measured on the European NEDC test cycle ).
he I-PACE Concept transforms the electric driving experience and offers the driver-focused performance and response Jaguar is renowned for . To help deliver this , the I-PACE has electric motors on the front and rear axles . heir combined output is 400PS and 700Nm of torque - the same torque rating as the F- TYPE SVR .
Ian Hoban , Vehicle Line Director , described the set up to VR guests who were able to use virtual reality to get under the skin of this ground-breaking technology . He said : " Electric motors provide immediate response with no lag , no gearshits and no interruptions . heir superior torque delivery compared to internal combustion engines transforms the driving experience . With 700Nm and the traction beneits of all-wheel drive , the I- PACE Concept accelerates from 0-60mph in around four seconds ."
he virtual reality experience also allowed participants to sit in the front and rear of the Jaguar I-PACE Concept and explore the beautiful interior , discovering hidden details and features .
Ian Callum said : " he interior of the I- PACE Concept is inished with beautiful , premium materials and an unwavering attention to detail . hroughout the interior you will discover a host of beautiful details to surprise and delight . From the expansive panoramic glass roof to the sporting , beautifully inished seats , every feature bears the hallmark of British cratsmanship .
" And there is digital cratsmanship too , with two touch screens serving up information when and where you need it , limiting distraction and improving the driving experience "
Renowned VR Director , Alexander Horton , led the creative direction . Participants experienced the car being built around them , speeding towards them and appearing to fall to Earth from another planet - clearly signalling the future-forward nature of the revolutionary Jaguar .
he new and exciting VR platform pushed the boundaries further than ever before , with the inclusion of social interaction and a live presenter broadcast into a single VR world .
Groups in both LA and London were able to communicate and interact with one another , all whilst watching Ian Callum and Ian Hoban explain through high-end real-time 3D graphics both the design process and technology behind this forward-thinking concept car .
he VR content from the reveal will now be available on Viveport through a dedicated Jaguar app allowing consumers to experience the I-PACE Concept at home .
Jaguar joined forces with VR leaders HTC , Computer experts Dell and Creative agencies ReWind and Imagination to create the world ' s largest , global , connected VR experience .
Dan O ' Brien , Vice President Virtual Reality at HTC said : " Jaguar Land Rover is renowned for its innovative spirit , and with Vive Business Edition we ' re thrilled to be the virtual reality partner to help bring their latest launch into an immersive VR landscape and to VIVE users at home . With the blend of cinematics and Vive ' s room-scale VR technology , the I- PACE Concept VR experience offers an incredible level of immersion , and showcases an exciting reimagining of the traditional car launch ."
Dell Precision workstations powered the design and development of the Jaguar I- PACE Concept and the VR reveal experience . Dell Precision Tower Workstations are conigured speciically with the increased performance , graphics and memory for VR content creation and advanced commercial visualization , making these types of applications possible in new areas of business , such as automotive .
Rahul Tikoo , Vice President and General Manager for Dell Precision , said : " Dell has long been involved in VR . We ' ve been evolving our business model to introduce solutions that are optimized for the future of VR , from our VR-ready XPS and Alienware devices for the best VR experience to VR-ready Dell Precision solutions for professionals to create it . he Jaguar I-PACE Concept , designed and introduced with VR , reinforces the incredible innovation that ' s possible with VR technologies and the potential to ultimately transform industries ."
Ross Wheeler , Head of Automotive at Imagination , said : " For the irst time in history , a global automotive brand has used fully immersive VR to launch their latest car . his launch takes the individual far beyond any new car experience they would have witnessed before , allowing people across the world to connect in real time , be fully immersed within the vehicle and share live together their experience of Jaguar ' s irst ever electric vehicle ."
" Jaguar , by embracing cutting-edge technology in this way , has created an experience rich and rewarding for its consumers . It has undoubtedly redeined the future of how automotive brands introduce their new vehicles to customers ."
Highways England , the company responsible for running over 4000 miles of England ' s motorways and major trunk roads , is to become the third partner in a