Jaguar I-Pace gains 12 miles of range in new software update
Reported today on The Verge
For the full article visit: https://www.theverge.com/2019/12/9/21003647/jaguar-i-pace-software-update-range-bump-12-miles
Reported today in The Verge.
Jaguar I-Pace gains 12 miles of range in new software update
Jaguar is issuing a software update to its first electric car, the I-Pace, which will gift the SUV 12 extra miles of range. The British automaker says it was able to squeeze the extra range out of the electric SUV's 90kWh battery pack in part because of lessons learned in the I-Pace racing series that kicked off its second season last month. Before the update, the I-Pace had an EPA-estimated range of 234 miles on a full battery. But after the update, the I-Pace will be able to travel as far as 246 miles in certain conditions.
The bump in range is likely welcome news to owners who plunked down at least $70,000 on the I-Pace - Jaguar even called it "an early holiday present" in the press release for the update - and it could help boost the confidence of prospective buyers. But unlike Tesla's software updates, which arrive automatically over the air (and quite often to boot), current I-Pace owners will have to take their SUVs to a Jaguar dealership to receive the upgrade. (Jaguar says that over-the-air software updates will be possible on the I-Pace without a trip to the dealership after this particular update is installed.)
Jaguar is one of the many automakers that participates in Formula E, the five-year-old global all-electric racing series. But in 2018, the company also launched an all-I-Pace support series to Formula E. Jaguar says the road version of the I-Pace is specifically benefitting from things the company learned in putting on this support series. Equipped with the new software update, the I-Pace will now do a more efficient job in delivering power from the two electric motors to the wheels. The company has also learned how to better manage the battery pack's heat, al