The Jaguar I-Pace, the luxury carmaker's first all-electric vehicle, makes a fake engine noise whenever the driver steps on the throttle.
The fake engine noise serves as a reminder of the ongoing death of the gas engine, as Jaguar and other carmakers shift their focus to designing and manufacturing electric vehicles.
Jaguar I-Pace Electric SUV Makes Fake Engine Noise
The Jaguar I-Pace electric SUV was first unveiled in November 2016 as a concept vehicle. Less than two years later, the production version is ready.
Jaguar said last year that it will be phasing out internal combustion engines by 2020, with a plan to offer electric versions for all its models by then. The I-Pace predates that promise, but follows Jaguar's claimed path to its future.
The I-Pace, however, comes with a noteworthy quirk. The new electric SUV makes a fake engine noise when the driver steps on the throttle, to make up for the fact that electric engines are very silent.
Here is what you will hear from the I-Pace, taken by Tim Stevens of Roadshow:
Jaguar calls the sound Dynamic Audio, which means that the pitch and volume of the fake engine noise will change depending on the throttle position.
Gas engines are powered by little explosions, which are the source of engine noise. Electric car manufacturers have been trying to imitate the sound due to the emotional response that consumers have associated to roaring gas engines.
In addition, the U.S. government is requiring that hybrid and fully electric cars must make noise when moving at low speeds by 2020. This will allow pedestrians to hear an approaching electric vehicle, which they may not notice due to its very quiet engine.
Sounds to warn pedestrians and fake engine noises to try to make the Jaguar I-Pace evoke the emotions associated with gasoline-powered cars, however, are two very different things.
Jaguar I-Pace Electric SUV: Tesla X Challenger?
The Jaguar I-Pace electric vehicle offers so much more than a fake engine noise. It remains a luxury vehicle with a starting price of $69,500 before incentives, but Jaguar made sure that it will be worth its price tag.
The new Jaguar electric vehicle "sets the bar pretty high," according to Ars Technica's Jonathan Gitlin, and it is easy to see why. Jaguar, with decades of experience as a luxury carmaker, pulled out all the stops for the I-Pace.
Previous reports have tagged the Jaguar I-Pace electric SUV as the Tesla Model X killer, but in reality, the two vehicles are very different. The electric powertrain is possibly the only thing that is continuing to fuel comparisons between them. Tesla is a new brand with a view for autonomous driving, while Jaguar is a historic name with a traditional approach to designing vehicles.
