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

The electric car market has gained a new player, with Jaguar’s eagerly anticipated I-Pace now available to order.

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.

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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.