The Jaguar I-Pace now goes more miles thanks to racing

Got a Jaguar I-Pace have you? Then Merry Christmas from Jag – it’ll now go a bit further on a charge. An extra 12 miles in the real world we’re told, before you’ll need to bail and find a plug.

So, how’s this come about? A clever new battery, perhaps? Or an aerodynamic kit that makes it slipperier than a greased politician on an ice rink? Nope. It’s come, in fact, from the world of motorsport.

Jaguar says the free-of-charge update for all existing I-Paces has been unlocked thanks to (engage official grown-up voice) “advanced technical insights from the Jaguar I-Pace eTrophy race series to optimise the management of battery, thermal and AWD systems to enhance the efficiency of the all-electric powertrain".

And that’s not all. Jaguar’s Big Brother is watching you, and learning. We’re told “engineers have also analysed data from more than 50 million miles of real-world journeys from all corners of the world”, and used the data of how quickly I-Paces are driven, how hard the air-con and heaters are used and how many iPhones it has to charge at once to manage the battery’s charge more efficiently.

The tweaks are made in three areas. Firstly, Jaguar’s made changes to the torque split between the car’s front and rear motors, when it’s in Eco mode.

Next up, temperature control. By managing the battery temperature better, the mechanical shutters that open and close to increase cooling are now shut more of the time, to ease drag.

And finally, for all your range anxiety lottery players out there, the battery can now accept being driven to a lower state of charge without the I-Pace erm, silently grinding to a halt. But only if you’re feeling brave. Meanwhile, the on-board computer’s range calculator is now more accurate too.

Top Gear’s driven the I-Pace a lot – in all seasons - and found in the summer, it’s good for about 200 miles in everyday use, and in the winter, about 170. So, an extra 12 miles for our 2018 EV of the Year is most welcome. Now, about that Fart Mode…