New Jaguar I-Pace app wants to convince you to buy an electric car

A new app released by British carmaker Jaguar is designed to illustrate to drivers the potential cost savings of buying an electric vehicle (EV) – or more specifically, Jaguar’s flagship electric car, the I-Pace SUV.

Released so far in Europe, data from the new Jaguar Go I-Pace smartphone app, for example, shows that for 85 per cent of drivers, charging twice a week is more than enough to meet their commuting needs.

Just over half of the drivers using Jaguar’s new app need to charge up just once a week, according to the data which was extracted from 35,000 journeys.

Jaguar is really amping up a campaign to convince drivers to go electric – along with the data about charging, the app has a number of other interesting features squarely focused on dispelling any concerns about going electric.

It offers an online calculator which drivers can use while driving their ICE vehicle, to see how a variety of factors impact driving range and running costs, battery usage and the number of charges they might need to keep an I-Pace charged from week to week.

“By using these digital tools, existing and potential customers are able to see with great accuracy how an I-Pace could fit into life and gain a real insight into how the range of the vehicle is affected by different features,” head of e-mobility for Jaguar, Rob McKay, said in a statement.

“The Go I-Pace app was designed to demonstrate how EV ownership can benefit drivers, particularly in understanding journey impact on range and how often they would need to plug in,” said Joanna Hewitt from Jaguar’s digital innovations department.

“Looking at the data we have had so far it is clear to see that not only is I-PACE ownership cost-effective, it is extremely convenient too.”

“Range anxiety” is often cited as barrier to electric vehicle uptake, but the data from Jaguar’s new smartphone app challenges the notion that not having enough driving range – and keeping an EV sufficiently charge – is cause for concern.

The I-Pace has been rated for 470km according to European WLTP cycle, but even with the more accurate 377km “real world” range given by the US-based EPA, this is enough for drivers in Europe where the average weekly distance driven (for Jaguar I-Pace drivers, according to the new app) is just under 350km.

In Australia, where drivers of the Jaguar I-Pace have the luxury of five years of free electric car charging thanks to a deal cut with DC charging infrastructure provider Chargefox, the data is comparable with most Australian drivers travelling a distance of 40km or under to and from work each day, according to data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics.

But it must be noted that even without use of DC fast chargers (which can add as much as 240km range in 1 hour at a 50kW charger), the I-Pace can be charged overnight at home in 10 hours if a 7kW wallbox is installed.

Jaguar is yet to confirm if the new smartphone app will be made available in Australia – it is currently only available in 11 countries in Europe – but if it was to come Down Under, it would certainly offer valuable insights to those considering a switch to zero emissions transport, but holding back because of factors like range anxiety.

Jaguar is also doing its best to tempt US Tesla drivers to convert to the I-Pace, with a $US3,000 ($A4,430 converted) discount on the I-Pace offered to Tesla owners by Jaguar until September 30.