Jaguar starts car-sharing pilot for BEVs

JAGUAR is upping the ante on “luxury mobility” through a pilot car-sharing scheme in two British cities, providing residents of “exclusive” apartments on-demand access to fully electric I-Pace models.

The struggling British brand – for which I-Pace sales have failed to deliver on expectations – says it is conducting the new private pilot scheme to accelerate its future all-electric mobility strategy.

Still nameless, the pilot kicked off on September 13 in partnership with luxury serviced apartment group Moda Living to conduct the new service out of two apartment complexes – Angel Gardens in Manchester and New York Square in Leeds.

“This project will offer residents of select ultra-luxury apartments on-demand access to fully electric I-Pace vehicles,” Jaguar said in a statement.

The service, which has some similarities with car subscription plans, provides a concierge handover, charging, valeting and “vehicle ownership costs” in the booking, which can be completed via a dedicated Jaguar reservation platform.

Essentially a marketing exercise at this stage, residents who avail themselves of the service will be able to book an I-Pace for up to 48 hours with key handover and support provided by each site’s dedicated 24-hour concierge team. The booking includes insurance, charging costs, valeting and maintenance.

The car share service is part of Jaguar’s goal of transitioning to a leading provider of ‘luxury experiences’ with the mobility scheme exposing residents in two cities to life with the fully electric I-Pace.

Looking to the future, Jaguar says it expects that urban car ownership “”is set to change as new generations embrace the sharing economy in the quest for a more convenient approach to transport”. 

“The car-sharing pilot will offer the opportunity to experience a luxury, all-electric lifestyle on demand, something Jaguar will continue to develop as the brand grows beyond its traditional offering.”

Jaguar managing director Rawdon Glover said: “At Jaguar, we are carefully considering every aspect of our client journey as we progress to an all-electric luxury car company from 2025.”

“As we explore alternatives to direct car ownership, this scheme provides a client-centred mobility solution with on-demand concierge access to the all-electric I-Pace. 

“Future Jaguar clients are continually looking for alternatives to car purchasing and we will closely monitor the success of this initiative and consider expanding across major cities around the world.”

Jaguar Land Rover is redoubling its efforts to go fully electric as exemplified in a recent pilot collaboration with partners who have devised a renewable energy storage system tapping used Jaguar electric vehicle batteries.

The system is based around used (and damaged) batteries placed in shipping containers being repurposed and used in series to power houses. Solar and wind power is utilised to recharge these Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) that may help decarbonise the British energy grid. 

The I-Pace was selected for the car sharing pilot because of its suitability as a family SUV and credentials that have seen it win more than 90 global awards.

Among the accolades are an unprecedented treble at the 2019 World Car of the Year Awards through winning World Car Design of the Year, World Green Car and World Car of the Year.