Jaguar I-Pace gets software update, enhances range

Jaguar has announced that it will be rolling out a complimentary software update for its I-Pace customers, one that provides an increase in real-world driving range through software optimisation. According to the automaker, customers can expect up to 8% or 20 km more driving range from this update.

This upgrade is derived from Jaguar’s I-Pace eTrophy race series, which gave the company a barrage of data to analyse. In doing so, the new software optimises five key aspects of the car, starting with the all-wheel drive system, which has been tuned to be more efficient when distributing torque between the front and rear motors in Eco mode. The system still delivers permanent AWD.

Next, thermal management control has also been optimised, and the active radiator vane now closes more frequently to enhance aerodynamic performance. The battery is now able to run on a lower state of charge than before, all without affecting drivability, durability, or performance.

Other improvements are made to the car’s regenerative braking system, which has been programmed to recoup energy more efficiently, while the predictive range calculation algorithm has been fine tuned to deliver a more accurate and consistent estimate of vehicle range. It’s also more reflective of individual driving style, Jaguar says.

Again, this update is free of charge, so all customers are required to do is take their cars to an authorised retailer to receive the software upgrade. The new software will also enable enhanced Software-Over-The-Air (SOTA) functionality, after which more electronic modules will receive remote updates.

To recap, the I-Pace is Jaguar’s first all-electric SUV, and it offers a range of up to 470 km (based on WLTP standards) from a 90 kWh lithium-ion battery. However, Jaguar says the new software upgrade doesn’t change the official certified range figure.

The batteries supply power to two electric motors, which together produce a total system output of 400 PS and 696 Nm. It sprints from standstill to 100 km/h in 4.8 seconds. The 2019 World Car of the Year features rapid charging, requiring just 40 minutes to charge from 0 to 80%. A 15 minute charge yields 100 km of range, no less. Christmas came early, eh?