Occasion double test: Tesla Model S vs Jaguar I-Pace

For this test we used cars that were for sale at the time at Wensink Zwolle (Tesla) and Seldenrijk Harderwijk (Jaguar).

Jaguar I-Pace 400 HSE | 2018 | €57,400 | 35,000 km

Tesla Model S 75D Base | 2018 | €54,945 | 76,000 km

The share of newly sold EVs is slowly but surely increasing, but the occasion buyer has less choice when it comes to a copy with a considerable range. There is quite a bit for sale, but if you want to easily get between 300 and 400 kilometers, then you come into the category of our two test cars. The fact that technology is improving year on year is reflected in the latest generation of electric cars. However, the purchase price is still high. The advantage lies in the lower operating costs. This way you don’t pay road tax and the maintenance costs are much lower. Expensive fuel is no longer necessary, but do not forget that charging also costs money. The benefit is greatest for those who can do it at home. If you depend on public charging stations and you also regularly have to use a fast charger, then the difference with an economical petrol or diesel becomes much smaller or even disappears.

In fact, cost should not be the only motivation. With an electric car you do not cause any local emissions, the powertrain is many times more efficient than a combustion engine and the driving comfort is at a higher level. And the driving pleasure too, because of the direct pulling power. The lack of engine noise is seen by some as a great loss.

Bad start for Jaguar I-Pace

And then in 2018 there was suddenly the Jaguar I-Pace. The British brand thus trumped the three German premium brands and was the first to have a competitor for the Model S. Without ever having driven one meter in it, thousands of Dutch people ordered the electric predatory cat that year. The counter stopped at 3,526 pieces, making it the best-selling Jaguar ever in our country. The reason why all these buyers jumped on this precious prey like a bunch of hungry cheetahs is easy to guess: in 2019 the addition for EVs went up again. That is to say: the part above €50,000 went to 22 percent, until that amount it remained 4 percent. Anyone who had their fat Jag registered in 2018 could then drive for five years for less than €150 additional tax per month. It later emerged that there were a lot of people who had never driven an EV before. The delivery took place in the coldest period of the year, driving training was not possible for a while and if you count on a range of 480 km, the deception is enormous. Because with 130 km/h and the climate control at 22 degrees, with an outside temperature around freezing, the battery is going really, very fast and you are already ’empty’ within 250 km. This did not go down well with many customers and caused the importer a lot of headaches. Not a good start. In 2019 the Audi E-tron came and it just about wiped the I-Pace off the map.

We are more than four years later and the I-Pace is still a special appearance. The cognac-colored leather makes the test car even more distinguished than it already is. Jaguar opted for digitization in terms of operation. Three screens provide you with all the information and give access to the climate control and infotainment system. The two large rotary knobs on the center console are multifunctional and can be pushed in or pulled out in addition to the neutral position. The seating position is good and with 400 hp and almost 700 Nm under your right foot, driving pleasure seems guaranteed.

He is obviously very fast, but what is especially surprising is the steering behaviour. Jaguar has placed a lot of emphasis on sporty driving, especially if you opt for the dynamic driving mode. The carriage hardly tilts or dives and it is simply astonishing how nimble this 2.1 ton car feels. Naturally, the air suspension can also be transformed into XJ-like comfort, for example for a long highway ride. In that respect, Jaguar has done its homework well. To recover, you can choose from the high or low settings.

As far as interior and trunk space are concerned, you have nothing to complain about. No, the Achilles’ heel is energy consumption and the fact that you can charge with only 1 phase at a regular charging station. This usually amounts to 3.7 kW and a maximum of 7.4 kW. That does not help, in the worst case you lose almost 25 hours to charge from empty to full. With 11 kW and 3 phases, the battery would be full again in one night. Since the facelift in the summer of 2020, the on-board charger has 11 kW and a little later the I-Pace 320 appeared, with the same battery and 80 hp less engine power.

Tesla Model S revolutionized 2012

The history of Tesla goes back less than that of Jaguar. The foundation is laid in 2003 and two years later a prototype of the brand’s first electric car, the Roadster, appears. It will go into production in 2008, until 2012. In that year it is time for the unveiling of an EV that shook the car world to its foundations and that still amazes to this day: the Model S. for years no answer and partly because of this he broke sales records everywhere. When the Autopilot was added a few years later, the sensation was complete.

Things have calmed down a bit around the S by now, partly due to its age and partly due to the deluge of competitors. There are many variants. The type designation always refers to the battery capacity: 60, 70, 75, 85, 90 and 100. The addition D stands for fire Dual, so two motors and four-wheel drive. Now only the Long Range and the Plaid are in the price list. The latter has 1,020 hp, pops from standstill to 100 km/h in 2.1 seconds and has a top speed of 322 km/h. Sales in the Netherlands are not going well: only one Model S found an owner in 2022, compared to three times the I-Pace.

Model S is already ten years old

Okay, so we’re looking at a car that is already ten years old in concept, while the life cycle is normally about seven or eight years. The shape of the S is largely dictated by the wind tunnel, because low air resistance is crucial for an EV. The interior is in a way timeless because a conventional dashboard is missing, the latest version has a slightly smaller screen in the middle and still a second screen behind the wheel. The seating position is clearly lower than in the Jaguar, but at least as good. A start button is missing. The S is already on and switching on the D is enough to go. This is done with a lever on the steering column, known from Mercedes-Benz.

Tesla is a comfortable travel car

The Tesla has less power and torque than the I-Pace, but you don’t notice that. It accelerates quickly and the power is easy to dose, especially when you choose the quiet driving mode. Via the same menu you can set the degree of recovery, so that you can do almost everything with just the accelerator pedal. Here too we have air suspension, which is adjustable in height. The whole feels a bit more comfortable than the Jag, the steering is slightly less sharp but still feels good. A very stable and very comfortable travel car. The rear passengers probably disagree, who sit with their knees bent. Unfortunately, the test car lacks adaptive cruise control and lane assistance, but this can still be ordered as a package (€3,800). This has been standard since the end of 2018.

Tesla’s charging network should certainly not be left untouched: the Superchargers. You can find them all over Europe and worldwide there are more than 30,000. They make planning and driving a long route child’s play. The navigation system calculates the route, takes you from charging stop to charging stop (and already brings the battery to the ideal charging temperature) and you never need a pass. Plug in and charge, for 35 cents per kWh. The S does not have a CCS charging port. To be able to charge with fast chargers, you have to make a small adjustment to the car (costs €249) and use a supplied adapter.

On average, these EVs travel 360 kilometers

With their average range of 360 and 357 kilometers you can get along well with these EVs, even though there are still people who think that this should be at least double. But how often do you now drive distances of almost a thousand kilometers or more? Maybe on vacation. And during such trips you want to make a stop every now and then for coffee or sanitary matters. In the meantime, you hang the car on a fast charger and after about twenty minutes the journey can be continued. In the most ideal situation, you have a wallbox at home to charge, so you get into a fully charged car every day. This range is more than sufficient for trips in the Netherlands and you can often park at a charging station during your appointment, although that makes less sense with the Jaguar, because of its 1-phase charger. That sometimes requires a bit of thinking and you may have to look for a charging station or that all fast chargers are occupied. In that sense, we are still in a transition period and we are working hard to optimize the charging infrastructure and expand the power network. What is clear is that it is by no means a punishment to drive electrically with cars such as the I-Pace and Model S. Compared to a Mercedes-Benz S-class or Jaguar XJ of the same year of manufacture, you are in all ways more advantageous.

Tesla better EV, Jaguar better car

As was to be expected: the Tesla is the better EV, the Jaguar the better car. The Model S still convinces with its sophisticated drivetrain and smart software that optimizes energy management. The infotainment system, with the bizarrely large screen, also appears to work nicely in practice. Tesla’s own charging network makes long journeys through Europe pleasant. In this section, every Tesla proves to be master of comparative tests. With its smaller battery pack, the Model S comes almost as far in practice. The Jaguar owes its useful range to the huge battery, but if you really go on driving it on the autobahn, for example, you’ll be back on the fast charger after more than 250 km.

Looking for a used Tesla Model S or Jaguar I-Pace with a price of up to 60,000 euros? View the offer here.

This double test has previously been in the AutoWeek occasion special