After 20% range reduction, I’m waiting for Jaguar to buy my car back
In November 2019, I was overjoyed to drive a new Jaguar I-Pace off the dealer’s lot. Five years later, I’m waiting for Jaguar to drive the car away.
After two recalls for software updates, the car’s range is now permanently restricted to 80 percent of what it was new. And along with owners of over 2,700 2019 I-Paces, I’m waiting for Jaguar to buy the car back. That’s because the company has decided that purchasing the cars is cheaper—and likely easier—than identifying and replacing defective battery packs. It’s a frustrating situation to be in, and not just because I can no longer drive a car I have grown to like.
Why did I buy an I-Pace? Good question—after all, Jaguars are not renowned for being paragons of reliability. 2019 was also the first year for the I-Pace, and buying a car in its first model can be a risky move as unanticipated manufacturing and parts problems rear their heads. One example: The original wiring harness in the I-Pace was poorly designed, so Jaguar ended up replacing many of them (including mine), which the mechanic told me took 11 hours and involved disassembling the front of the car.
