AUTONEWS

Jaguar sends thousands of I-Pace models to be destroyed

There can't be many sadder sights than seeing thousands of relatively new cars (the I-Pace only went into production in 2018) being sent to a scrapyard, doomed to be destroyed. Jaguar must have sold more than 60,000 units of this electric crossover, but it has been gradually recalling thousands of vehicles in various countries, then sending them to slaughterhouses, as confirmed by the photographs now made public.

User eVNewt posted images on the X network of dozens of I-Pace vehicles on their way to the slaughterhouse to be recycled. At the end of 2024, the English brand announced that it had reacquired around 2,800 units in the USA, having done the same in other European countries, confirming the premature death of a vehicle that had everything to work, were it not for its tendency to frequent breakdowns and some fires.

The I-Pace appeared in 2018 and, a year later, was awarded the title of International Car of the Year. The English crossover managed to reach the market before most of its German rivals, offering a speed of 200 km/h, the ability to go from 0-100 km/h in 4.8 seconds, thanks to a power of 400 hp, and a 90 kWh battery that ensures a range of 470 km. But the I-Pace, which had its world premiere in the Algarve, stood out above all for its efficient road handling and surprisingly capable off-road performance, taking advantage of Land Rover's (also from the Jaguar Land Rover group) respected know-how in this area.

To manufacture the I-Pace, Jaguar did not use one of its own manufacturing facilities, but rather the Austrians at Magna Steyr, a company specializing in small productions that manufactures models such as the BMW Z4 and the Toyota Supra, among others. Lacking experience in battery-powered vehicles, neither Jaguar nor Magna had, the British manufacturer chose LG Chen, a battery manufacturer that most European manufacturers turned to at the time, to source the lithium-ion battery pack. However, this is exactly where the biggest problems arose, with numerous recalls due to deficiencies and fires that drove away potential customers. And, at a time when Jaguar and Land Rover are preparing to invest heavily in electric vehicles, the former has decided to recall the problematic I-Pace, in an attempt to avoid transferring problems from the old electric vehicle to the new ones. The Jaguar Type 00 will usher in the brand's new electric era in 2026, with the model selling for prices close to €100,000.

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