Jaguar I-Pace | PH fleet

But not exclusively, and when we go back to family in Suffolk we are at the mercy of the public network. Which, to be honest, has improved even there, with a Tesla Supercharger close to where we stay that works flawlessly. Having spent a few days there over the holidays, charging hadn’t even been a consideration as it always just works. Even range and efficiency were not reduced in colder, darker and wetter conditions; the trip computer generally suggested about 4.5 km/kWh, where it is closer to three. Nothing to be proud of in the days of 4 mi/kWh claims with more power and similar weight of many newer cars, but still manageable.

So when it came down to finally needing a replenishment, I drove to the Supercharger as usual. Plugged in, tapped, watched, waited… and waited. And waited. Normally the charger would have supplied almost the car’s maximum 100 kW; now it was hovering around 35kW. While no one else uses a device on the couch with four chargers. Ultimately it exceeded 40 kW, but if you expect more than double that means a lot of time on the forecourt. Reading a book in peace and quiet and not being asked when more presents are coming, sure, but there are definitely better ways to spend the time at Christmas.

The next day the result was the same, and another attempt with others hooked up even worse. I was convinced the charger was faulty, so on the fourth time I asked I checked what the other cars were drawing in terms of kW: each one bettered the I-Pace, with a high rating of 140 kW from a Volvo EX40. The charger wasn’t the problem, it was the car. Ah.

Although it wasn’t unbearably cold outside, the mercury was low enough (and the driving calm enough) to keep the battery outside the optimal temperature window. There’s no temperature display, but the Jag clearly wasn’t warming up, so it couldn’t charge at its best. Stupidly, I’d never really thought about that before, as I was probably more concerned about full range than cold charging. But without a heat pump or any way to prepare the battery for fast charging, this will be a fact of the I-Pace’s future life.

Some forum threads from quite cold climates have suggested drastic measures, such as sacrificing a certain state of charge on the way to a DC charger by accelerating and braking as hard as possible. This heats up the battery, and the predicted range lost along the way is quickly recouped through faster charging than normal driving. That’s clearly not something you should condone or even attempt, although it shows how important a warm battery is. And why a heat pump, if offered, is probably a sensible option. If you just want to get home to a car full of Christmas junk, watching the electrons trickle in (or whatever the correct saying is) is really annoying. There are only so many sausage rolls you can eat.

Nevertheless, despite showing its age somewhat in terms of battery technology, the Jaguar remains an absolutely charming company. I continue to praise the interior as it remains stylish, luxurious, spacious and easy to use. It’s been more than five years since the I-Pace got its Pivi Pro update, and even now that the car is no longer in production, it’s a very good dashboard, retaining the buttons that new Range Rovers so stupidly leave behind.

It swallowed all our Christmas stuff with ease, was comfortable enough for anyone wanting to sleep on a cruise, and looked chic among the more conventional SUVs on soft play. I’ve always been a fan of Jaguar’s first EV, from its brief exposure when it was new, and owning it has only deepened my affection. It would be fair to say that I wasn’t 100% sure this would happen…

Auto: 2021 Jaguar I-Pace HSE
Run by: Matt Vogel
On fleet since: August 2025
Purchased for: £21,700
Mileage: 43,645
Last month at a glance: Crappy cold charging

To EV or not to EV – now the question is answered
Grace, space, pace: it’s a Jag, all right