Are electric cars ready to replace combustion engine cars in terms of outright performance? Carwow decided to stage a test where they pitted two very different but similar vehicles - both with 294kw (400 horsepower) and all-wheel drive - against each other. It is of course the Audi RS3 Sedan and Jaguar's new electric SUV, the I-PACE.
As a refresher, Audi uses a 2.5-litre TFSI turbocharged 5-cylinder motor to produce 294kw and 480nm available from 1,700 to 5,850rpm. This is paired with a 7-speed dual clutch automatic transmission that sends power to all four wheels via a Haldex-based Quattro system. The result is 0-100kph in just 4.1 seconds, and a top speed of up to 280kph. What’s great about the RS3 is that it utilizes a torque transferring system that can send between 50 and 100% of the power to the rear wheels when required. The RS3 is available as both a 5-door sportback and a sedan, with the sedan priced from R933 500.
The Jaguar I-PACE though, is the British automaker’s new electric five-seater SUV, and it is expected to debut in South Africa in the first half of 2019. The I-PACE is all-electric and uses a 90 kWh lithium-ion battery to achieve a range of just under 500kms. A pair of electric motors on each axle produce 294kw and 696nm, and thanks to all-wheel drive, can rocket the crossover from 0-100kph in a claimed 4.5 seconds. Thanks to careful placement of the battery, is has a sports car-like 50:50 weight distribution and a low centre of gravity. The I-PACE is priced at around US$69 000 in the USA, so expect pricing upwards of ZAR 930 000 when it lands in South Africa next year.
And with those facts out of the way, we ask, who is your money on in this test?
