Jaguar I-Pace Sets a Laguna Seca Electric Car Lap Record

Jaguar announced Thursday that its electric I-Pace crossover has set the lap record for unmodified electric vehicles at Laguna Seca.

A 2019 I-Pace HSE First Edition was piloted by professional racing driver Randy Pobst, who achieved a lap time of 1:48.18 in the I-Pace, the fastest known time for a stock four-door electric vehicle around the circuit. The best known time for a similar vehicle prior to this was a 1:57.5 set by a Tesla Model 3 in March. The base Model 3 was easy prey for the I-Pace, though, as its 400 horsepower, 512 pound-feet of torque, and all-wheel-drive give it a rapid zero-to-60 time of 4.5 seconds, and its near 50/50 weight distribution keeps it tidy in corners.

2019 Jaguar I-Pace HSE First Edition Laguna Seca Hot Lap

Base Tesla Model 3s come with 50 kilowatt-hour batteries with 210 miles of range, which can be upgraded to 75 kilowatt-hours for 310 miles of range. The I-Pace, however, has 90 kilowatt-hour battery that offers just 240 miles per charge. It is unclear how quickly the Tesla Model 3 Performance can lap Laguna Seca, and though it’d have to slash more than ten seconds from its best known time to beat the I-Pace, that shouldn’t be too hard with its added performance and the right driver.

Is it unfair to compare a compact performance sedan to a crossover? Perhaps not, but maybe so, since Jaguar touts the I-Pace as the vehicle of choice for an upcoming electric spec series starring the model. 

The 2019 Jaguar I-Pace will be on sale later this year, starting at $69,500, and if you’re willing to spend a lot more on an electric Jaguar, consider lining up for an electric E-Type instead.