The Jaguar I-Pace just got a little extra push thanks to the automakers efforts out on the race track. There’s a spec series called the I-Pace eTrophy Series and it serves to support Formula E. Jaguar has clearly been learning a fair bit from the racing Jags and their electric tech, and it’s starting to pay off with the road car.
Under the aluminum I-Pace skin sits a 90kWh battery pack. Per EPA testing, it’s good for 234 miles. There’s a new update available to the battery controller system, however, which can return up to an eight percent improvement on efficiency. That could net an I-Pace driver another 12 miles of range. It’s not massive but it’s absolutely noteworthy.
How’d they do it?
According to Jaguar, the all-wheel drive system now distributes torque with greater efficient in Eco mode. Thermal management has been improved by better use of the active radiator system, which also aids in aerodynamic gains. Finally, the battery can dip to a lower state of charge without an affect on drivability or performance. All of that was learned through the Jaguar I-Pace eTrophy series.
Additional changes derived from real-world data include:
– Regenerative Braking: The vehicle’s brakes will harvest energy more efficiently when the battery is in a high state of charge and the amount of energy recovery has been increased at lower driving speeds to maximize efficiency and range
– Range calculation: Changes to the predictive range calculation algorithm will deliver a more accurate and consistent estimate of vehicle range, while being more reflective of an individual’s driving style.
I-Pace customers can bring their vehicles in for the free update. And they likely won’t have to do so for future updates. This upgrade also includes the ability to receive future updates via an Over-The-Air system update.
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