Jaguar stormed the stage at Frankfurt with the concept of world’s first international championship for production-based electric cars. The all-new I-Pace eTrophy race car is introduced with a new ‘Arrive and Drive’ racing package, that offers 20 drivers in each racing event. There will be 10 such race series to be held across the globe.
The Jaguar I-Pace racing series comes as a support race series to the FIA Formula E Championship. The fifth season of Formula E will kick-start at the end of next year.
The I-Pace race car is built by Jaguar Land Rover Special Vehicle Operations. The race cars are based on Jaguar’s first battery electric vehicle, the I-Pace electric SUV, which will hit the streets in late 2018.
The technical specifications, the race calendar and the price of the I-Pace eTrophy will be released only next year. It will be allotted on a ‘first come, first serve’ basis to drivers holding an international race license.
Jaguar says that a typical race weekend will include free practice and qualifying sessions followed by a 30-minute race. The venue and calendar are approved by the FIA racing authority.
The British carmaker boasts of being the first luxury car manufacturer to enter in the zero-emission Formula E championship in 2016, ahead of its competitors – Mercedes-Benz, BMW and Porsche.
Compared to the standard I-Pace, the eTrophy race car rocks an aggressive front bumper. The blacked-out air splitters, massive rear wing and diffuser, and the sportier alloy wheels add character to the crossover race car.
The powertrain details haven’t been divulged yet, but the eTrophy is expected to be powered by the same powertrain as Jaguar’s Formula E car. The eTrophy race car serves as a review for JLR’s decision to electrify its entire range beginning from 2020.
