Range anxiety is a major problem when it comes to electric motoring. And most would feel that the problem is particularly evident in SA. This week a Jaguar I-Pace drove from Johannesburg to Durban with only one recharge.

No petrol needed

The pre-production Jaguar I-Pace began its trip with a fully topped-up 90 kWh battery at a Jaguar dealership in Gauteng and head south for the coast. Approximately three hours and 310 km later the 298 kW electric SUV made a stop to recharge. The publicly available 60 kW fast charger at the Bergview rest stop in Harrismith was used to top up the battery.

Click here to read about the I-Pace racing series.

There the Jaguar I-Pace’s battery was recharged to 100 per cent at the Jaguar Powerway fast charger. The recharge process took as long as it did for the driving crew to consume breakfast.

South bound

The Jaguar I-Pace completed its road trip 306 km later at the Durban Marina. The purpose of the trip was to prove the practicality of an EV combined with the new Jaguar Powerway charging infrastructure.

The Powerway recharging network will feature 82 new charging stations for all electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids in the country’s major centres and along frequently travelled motorways between the country’s main city centres. Charging locations will include 30 fast chargers placed at every Jaguar dealership, 30 at various shopping centres and 22 along the N1, N2 and N3 national roads.

In his own words

Richard Gouverneur, managing director of Jaguar Land Rover South Africa:

“With the introduction of the Jaguar Powerway, electric vehicles such as the Jaguar I-Pace are no longer restricted to the confines of urban areas. Long distance journeys are now possible without using a single drop of petrol. EV recharging infrastructure in South Africa may still be in its infancy, but Jaguar’s R30-million investment has kick-started the revolution and put us at the forefront of e-mobility.”

Learn more about the Jaguar I-Pace by clicking here.