Jaguar starts I-Pace deliveries to customers in the US

After a slow start of production and a few European deliveries, Jaguar has started deliveries of the I-Pace, the brand’s first all-electric vehicle, in the US.

Over the first few months of production, Jaguar delivered just over 1,000 I-Pace electric SUVs.

This week, the British automaker announced that it started deliveries to customers in the US – starting with a family in Florida:

“Mark and Holly Pascarella of Lakewood Ranch, Florida, have just taken delivery of the very first Jaguar I-PACE in North America. Although the family has owned many Jaguar vehicles before, the I-PACE is their first electric vehicle and they couldn’t be more excited. Here, Mark talks about the family’s enthusiasm for the I-PACE and how it’s the perfect SUV for their busy family.”

With the announcement, Jaguar released a Q&A with the owner Mark Pascarella:

Are you excited to take delivery of your new Jaguar I-PACE vehicle?

My whole family is excited! When I told my wife, twin 15 year-olds and 18 year-old, they couldn’t believe we would have the first I-PACE delivered in North America, before the vehicle even goes on sale. They couldn’t believe that it would be at our house, and we’re all just extremely excited to have an electric car and even more excited to have another Jaguar. We’re a Jaguar family.

What other Jaguar vehicles have you owned?

I’ve had two XKR models, an XJ, two F-TYPE vehicles and an F-PACE. I have an F-TYPE right now and my daughter has an F-PACE, so this will be our seventh Jaguar. My F-TYPE R is so much fun to drive. I’ve had it two and half years now, and people turn their head every time I pull up somewhere. They’re always telling me how beautiful the car is. It’s racing red with a black interior and a black top with gorgeous 20-inch wheels. It’s just a beautiful car and with the big supercharged V8, everyone hears you pull up. I wish I had a chance to take it on a racetrack, but I just don’t have the time.

What attracted you to the I-PACE?

When you have a family of five you always need space, so we were looking for an SUV. We’ve always had a seven-passenger SUV, but one of my daughters just went off to college, so now a five-passenger SUV will be large enough. When I looked at the I-PACE I could see that it was a typical first-class product made by Jaguar, with top of the line appointments and great looks. It doesn’t look like a typical SUV, and on top of that, being electric was very appealing. I’ve looked at Tesla in the past and was never impressed with their interiors or looks of the car, but when I saw the I-PACE, I said that’s something I’d like to drive. My wife loved it as well. She’ll probably drive it more than I do because she sells real estate and that’s what she’ll take clients out in. It’s definitely going to be a conversation piece and everyone’s going to be looking at her when she’s driving it around the neighborhood. When we go out to dinner with the family I can’t fit everybody in the F-TYPE so having the I-PACE available, with its space and luxury, will be great. We’ll also use it when we travel to see family during the holidays.

What do you do on the weekends for fun?

We’re a very busy family. The kids are involved in marching band so we go to all their competitions and events. We love to go to the theatre and we love to go out to dinner. We probably eat out 6-7 days a week. I’m a big sports nut, we support our local teams here. We entertain a lot, and we’re constantly on the go, I don’t like to sit still. I love to play golf, I play at least four times a week. Besides my wife and my three daughters it’s my passion.

How much did you know about EV technology before buying the I-PACE?

I didn’t know much about EV technology before buying the I-PACE. I’ve read up online and I love techy stuff. I love computers and the latest audio and visual technology, and I love cars. I’m a car nut.

Have you owned an EV before?

I haven’t. As I mentioned I’m not a fan of Tesla’s finishes and I haven’t been impressed with any of the luxury hybrids out there. The I-PACE will be our first EV and we couldn’t be more excited about it. Especially my kids. Getting the first one in the country is going to be amazing.

Crown Jaguar, in St. Petersburg has been phenomenal for us. The service I get from them is fantastic, and that made a big difference too. They’re 35 miles from my house but I’ve bought six Jaguar vehicles from them including this I-PACE just because of the service level I get from those guys. I trust them and feel good about what they do. I know they’re going to take care of me.

Electrek’s Take

These are exactly the type of customers we were hoping for the I-Pace: long-time Jaguar fans that didn’t want to go electric until the automaker got on board.

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We know that there are plenty of people who Tesla will never get. Loyalty is a weirdly important thing in the auto market for some reason.

Some legacy automakers going into EVs appear to only be marketing them to existing EV buyers. In other words, trying to mitigate Tesla’s disruption in the segment they used to dominate.

At least with the I-Pace, we appear to have some evidence that it is actually expanding the EV market, which is a great thing.