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Written by Jack Rix
Car chat. It"s right up there with football banter for immediate alienation of anyone who doesn"t know a double-clutch from a 4-3-3. But something is occurring. I"ve spent two days with the I-Pace and everyone and I do mean everyone has a question or five, strident opinions on the charging infrastructure and, judging by the battered Micra they"re driving, no previous interest in combustion-engined cars. Frankly, it"s exhausting, but also a fascinating social shift the electric car hasn"t yet become personal transport for the masses, but it is mobilising their minds. In a world obsessed with food Deliverooed to your doorstep, cheap taxis at your fingertips and the world"s music library in your earbuds convenience above all else the electric car is a chewy one. The environmental benefits are obvious you can see them not spewing out of the tailpipe - but owning, charging and planning your life around one is a chore we could all do without. One step forward, two steps back. Hence the hullabaloo. Which is why it"s easy to forget that the I-Pace is still just a new car: four tyres, a steering wheel, some seats surrounded by glass and aluminium. Later, we"ll help you decide whether your life lends itself to EV ownership, and if the I-Pace can handle the sorts of things diesel SUVs take in their stride, but if anyone"s going to be persuaded to cough up at least 58,500 (or 80,860 for the top-spec-with-options car here), it still needs to go, stop, steer and turn heads with panache.
Date written: 31 Jul 2018
More of this article on the Top gear website
ID: 12751
Car chat. It"s right up there with football banter for immediate alienation of anyone who doesn"t know a double-clutch from a 4-3-3. But something is occurring. I"ve spent two days with the I-Pace and everyone and I do mean everyone has a question or five, strident opinions on the charging infrastructure and, judging by the battered Micra they"re driving, no previous interest in combustion-engined cars. Frankly, it"s exhausting, but also a fascinating social shift the electric car hasn"t yet become personal transport for the masses, but it is mobilising their minds. In a world obsessed with food Deliverooed to your doorstep, cheap taxis at your fingertips and the world"s music library in your earbuds convenience above all else the electric car is a chewy one. The environmental benefits are obvious you can see them not spewing out of the tailpipe - but owning, charging and planning your life around one is a chore we could all do without. One step forward, two steps back. Hence the hullabaloo. Which is why it"s easy to forget that the I-Pace is still just a new car: four tyres, a steering wheel, some seats surrounded by glass and aluminium. Later, we"ll help you decide whether your life lends itself to EV ownership, and if the I-Pace can handle the sorts of things diesel SUVs take in their stride, but if anyone"s going to be persuaded to cough up at least 58,500 (or 80,860 for the top-spec-with-options car here), it still needs to go, stop, steer and turn heads with panache.
Date written: 31 Jul 2018
More of this article on the Top gear website
ID: 12751
