Jaguar performance in championship charging up interest in electrification

British premium brand Jaguar is charging ahead in its electrification ambitions, with the prowess of its leading technology giving it a head start in the world's first championship for mass-produced electric cars.

The Jaguar I-PACE eTROPHY Championship, named after the Jaguar I-PACE eTROPHY racecar developed on the I-PACE, is the official support series to the FIA Formula E Championship.

It is composed of 10 rounds, the first of which was successfully completed on Dec 15 in Saudi Arabia.

In the ancient surroundings of Ad Diriyah, 11 drivers from five continents took on the 21 twists and turns of the 2.495 kilometer track, which started and finished in the heart of the old town.

"We are immensely proud to reach this historic moment," said Gerd Maeuser, chairman of Jaguar Racing.

"We had an idea that we could bring electric production car racing to city streets, and showcase the power and capability of the award-winning Jaguar I-PACE."

Simon Evans, of Team Asia New Zealand, was the winner at Ad Diriyah.

He said: "It feels amazing to win the race from pole to flag - it's very special. It wasn't an easy race, and it just shows from the practice time and the race itself, the pack is incredibly close."

Marion Barnaby, championship manager of the Jaguar I-PACE eTROPHY, said: "What a great race and a fantastic debut here in Saudi Arabia. We battled the weather conditions and were disappointed not to complete qualifying but the race was exactly what we hoped: close, competitive racing that's exciting to watch."

"The cars performed well and showed the power and reliability of the Jaguar I-PACE eTROPHY, a production-based car that really shows the public electrification is here," Barnaby said.

Jaguar said the event supports the launch of the Jaguar I-PACE, and reinforces Jaguar Land Rover's future electrification strategy, commitment to electric street racing and its "Race to Innovate" mission.

The next round of the Jaguar I-PACE eTROPHY takes place in Mexico City on Feb 16, 2019. The event will serve as the exclusive supporting race for the Formula E Championship for three seasons. In march, it will also come to China's Hong Kong and Sanya, to show Jaguar's art of performance to more Chinese car fans.

The unfolding competition is a good opportunity to popularize the Jaguar I-PACE SUV, the carmaker said.

As the brand's first premium all-electric coupe-style SUV, the I-PACE is a perfect combination of contemporary design, performance and advanced technologies.

It runs up to 456 kilometers on a single charge and accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in just 4.8 seconds.

The model is designed for people who seek high technology and refuse to compromise on performance and driving pleasure, the carmaker said.

Jaguar said its research and development of the I-PACE benefited from test results and driving experiences accumulated from its participation in the Formula E championships in recent years.

Jaguar returned to racing in October 2016, becoming the first premium manufacturer to join the all-electric FIA Formula E Championship street racing series.

lifusheng@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 12/24/2018 page19)