Jag’s Go I-Pace app just launched, and it’s the perfect companion for someone who is considering buying an electric car. The app puts Jaguar’s all-electric performance SUV within arm’s reach. Well, sort of. It’s not really there, Jeff. Get out of that man’s car!
The app guesstimates how the I-Pace would fit into your life based on ‘personal journey data’ with your current car. For example, it’ll most likely warn you that it’s not very energy efficient revving your Volkswagen Beetle at every robot and racing from one to the next (that’s how you catch all the reds, you know).
But at least you have a calculation of possible energy savings in your imaginary I-Pace on your phone, right?
The app will calculate the range expected from a full charge based on your current driving habits, the number of charges that will be required in a typical week with the I-Pace and how frequently you would need to top up mid-journey.
You’ll have access to the amount of times you would have needed a stop to charge the EV’s Lithium-ion battery on a specific journey, and where you could’ve charged it. It uses the device’s location services to track individual journeys and log your data. Of course, here in South Africa, it’s only really the distance data that’s going to be useful, as we know charging stations are pretty much limited to dealerships, Melrose Arch in Joburg, and the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town.
The I-Pace has a maximum range of 480km on a single charge, which, according to Jaguar, is enough to complete more that 98% of all journeys made by their customers. And if you drive 200km or more to get to work… get a new job or move. Seriously. Compared to the Nissan Leaf or BMW i3 that’s respectable range… but is it enough to get you to give up your fossil-fuel guzzler?
Once inside the app, the user can enter the fuel economy of their existing vehicle to calculate the cost savings of switching to the I-Pace. Once enough journeys have been logged, the app will estimate the range drivers can expect to achieve from a full charge. An interactive map allows users to search for the nearest charging points along a chosen route or within a local area.
The app can also distinguish between different modes of transport to make sure it collects accurate data, even prompting users to confirm that individual trips were made by car for unusual routes – for instance on journeys made by cycling rather than behind the wheel.
The Jaguar I-Pace will be available in South Africa early next year, but the Go I-Pace app is already available for free download on iOS right now. Will it alleviate South African’s EV range anxiety? Clearly Jaguar hopes so.
