But this is Jaguar, and its pleasing to see that driving pleasure has not been forgotten in the pursuit of eco-efficiency. The electric motors combine to give a total output just north of 400bhp, which is more than enough to have some fun with, especially for those lucky enough to have a go on that frozen lake in Sweden. There's no denying that this will be a heavy car, but quality damping, clever suspension tuning and technical wizardry such as torque vectoring by braking should combine to produce a car that is fun in the twisty bits at the very least, if not totally inspiring.
Even though we will see the I-Pace on track in a one-make support race for the 2018 Formula E championship, you've got to remember that this isn't a sports car - it's a sports oriented family car to be used for everyday errands and short holidays. In this context, the I-Pace makes perfect sense. Even ardent petrol heads agree that electric cars are better suited for driving around cities and in heavy traffic.
No, the I-Pace can't touch a Lightweight E-Type screaming through Triple Webers for sheer excitement, and it will never replace the F-Type or XK8 that sits in your garage for sunny Sundays and special occasions. It is simply daily transport to be used in conjunction with, not instead of, your more exciting internally combusted powered Jaguar. In this sense, the I-Pace makes perfect sense, and we're eagerly counting down the days until the 6th of March.
Words by Andrew Coles