Jaguar I-PACE – Is Your New EV a Serious Fire Risk?

Have you been told that there is a risk that your all-electric vehicle will catch fire? Is your Jaguar I-PACE a defective vehicle?

Launching in 2018, the Jaguar I-PACE was the first all-electric vehicle of this British company. Having been met with excitement and much anticipation due to its design, range and luxurious aesthetic, this vehicle was seen as strong competition in the world of electric automobiles. However, all this excitement came to a halt due to many reports of battery related fires, which raised concerns about the overall safety of this vehicle.

The Jaguar I-PACE was designed to compete with Tesla’s Model X, boasting a 90-kWh lithium-ion battery, with estimated range of up to 234-253 miles per charge. With 394 horsepower, this vehicle can go from zero to sixty miles per hour in just 4.5 seconds. Despite this cutting-edge technology, the I-PACE has not been a reliable vehicle when it comes to its battery system. Granted, all electric vehicles pose a risk of fires. The frequency and severity of the fires in the I-PACE has brought its reliability and safety into question.

Since its release, there have been numerous cases of these vehicles catching on fire while parked or while being charged. These fires are suspected to be due to the vehicle’s high voltage lithium-ion battery pack, with some owners reporting hearing loud popping noises before the battery compartment erupts with smoke and flames.

Unlike with internal combustion engines, the fires caused by EVs are more challenging to extinguish due to the lithium-ion battery cells. Oftentimes, fire departments require special gear and undergo unique procedures to prevent the fire from reigniting, which complicates matters even further.

The exact cause for these fires is still unknown and remains under investigation, but many factors have been identified such as:

Is Your Jaguar I-PACE a Lemon?

In light of these concerns, Jaguar was forced to recall up to 6,400 I-PACE EVs in the US due to the concern of the high voltage battery overheating. They put out a software update as well as, in some cases, replacing the defective battery all together. However, despite Jaguar’s best attempts, these problems were not fully eliminated, and the concern for the vehicle’s long-term reliability remained. 

The 2019-2024 Jaguar I-PACE is a stylish and ambitious design by Jaguar, but the concern with battery fires have overshadowed anything positive about this innovative design. Despite attempts to correct these oversights, questions regarding the vehicle’s long-term reliability and safety have been questioned by current owners.