Tesla Model X vs Jaguar plug-in luxury SUV battle imminent

Jaguar is looking to put a plug-in luxury SUV on road by the end of 2018. The company is also previewing the I-Pace battery-powered car at the Los Angeles Auto Show starting from Nov. 18-27. This puts the British luxury car brand head-to-head with Tesla that has already made available its Model X in Australia at a price of $111,900.

According to News.com.au, Jaguar’s introduction of a plug-in SUV will spark an electric car war with Tesla. Jaguar’s design director Ian Callum said that car designs are set to change more in the coming five years than it has in the past 50 years. He has also predicted the largest shift in the history of car design as stylists are breaking free from common packaging demands.

Callum has also stated that I-Pace is a drastic departure from any previous Jaguar and is the most significant new model since the 1960’s E-Type sports cars. When asked why people would buy the new Jaguar and not the Tesla Model X, Callum had a very interesting answer.

“Just take a look at it. This is a Jaguar, and a real Jaguar in every way,” he said.

As promised by Jaguar, the new vehicle will have a range of 500 kilometres between charges and a two-hour charge time. There will be a pair of electric motors at each end for an all-wheel drive. He behicle will reach 100km/h in just four seconds.

Jaguar has not divulged any information on the pricing of the I-Pace battery powered car or where it will be built. Meanwhile, Tesla has a target of boosting its production capacity by 10 times to 500,000 vehicles a year by 2018, reports Financial Review.

Tesla is continuing to streamline its production and bundling the interior options for its Model X. Prior to the bundling, those who used the online Model X Design Studio, could choose individual colours for seats, headline colour and interior trim among others, reports Clean Technica.