Jaguar I-Pace vs. Tesla Model X: how the electric SUVs compare

Both offer semi-autonomous safety features
and impressive ranges but which is best?

Review

The mid-size, premium crossover has an all-electric powertrain
and is the first Jaguar vehicle to feature a battery electric
system.

The I-Pace will be going up against the highly popular
Tesla Model X, its only rival in the electrified SUV market. 

Both cars offer impressive battery ranges and feature hi-tech
semi-autonomous safety systems, but which will car buyers
prefer?

Here’s how they compares:

Price

The I-Pace [pictured top] has the lower price tag of the
two. A base-spec model, badged EV400 S, costs £63,495, while the
entry-level Model X 75D will set buyers back an additional
£7,000. 

Range-topping I-Paces, called First Editions, cost
£80,925, which is significantly cheaper than the Tesla’s most
expensive SUV, the £128,250 Model X P100D. 

Range and on-road performance

Comparing the battery range of the two EVs is tricky, because
they were measured using different procedures.

On paper, the Model X 75D [pictured above] offers a
battery range of 251 miles, jumping to 351 miles in the more
expensive 100D version.

That suggests the 100D trumps the I-Pace’s 298-mile range, but Wired argues that Jaguar’s claimed battery range may
be more accurate than the Tesla’s.

The I-Pace has been measured using the Worldwide
harmonised Light vehicle Test Procedure (WLTP), which is widely
believed to provide more accurate measurements than the New
European Driving Cycle (NEDC) system used to calculate the Model
X’s range.

That said, the Model X is the clear winner when it comes to
performance. 

Range-topping P100D versions can do 0-62mph in less than three
seconds, far faster than the I-Pace’s time of 4.5 seconds,
says Top Gear. 

Practicality and driving tech

Those looking for a car with a big boot will want to go
for the Model X. It comes with a cavernous 2,367 litres of space
when the rear seats are folded down – 941 litres more than the
I-Pace. 

The Model X can also be specced as a seven-seater, whereas
the I-Pace is a five-seat only crossover.

Both come with a host of semi-autonomous safety measures
as standard, including collision avoidance and automatic emergency
braking systems. 

Tesla buyers can pay out £5,700 to spec the company’s
Autopilot system, which allows drivers to automatically match the
speed of moving traffic and change lanes without moving the
steering wheel. There’s even an option to let the car park
itself. 

Meanwhile, mid-range I-Pace SE models and above get “blind-spot
monitoring, adaptive cruise control and high-speed emergency
braking”, Carbuyer reports.

Verdict

Tesla is “leading the way” in the shift towards electric cars,
says the Daily Express. 

Although the Model X is more expensive than the I-Pace, the
Tesla offers significantly more interior space and can be fitted
with more seats, making it the more practical option, argues
CNet. 

Engadget disagrees, insisting that the
I-Pace “feels like a more polished vehicle” and that
the “price difference is a nice bonus”.

“Jaguar has taken what it’s learned from its own history,
from sister company Land Rover and from other automakers (including
Tesla) and created the best luxury SUV on the road today,” the tech
news site concludes.