With no engine sound, the electric Jaguar I-PACE required a new way to warn blind, visually impaired and other vulnerable road users it is approaching at low speed.
Jaguar’s engineers have developed a sound that can be heard at speeds up to 20km/h (12.4 mph) and exceeds the 56dB(A) minimum required by forthcoming European legislation – the strictest in the world – for all new EVs from July 2019.
The I-PACE’s sound was tested by members of Guide Dogs for the Blind, the UK’s leading charity for people affected by sight loss, as part of the testing undertaken by Jaguar. It also marks the start of an on-going relationship between the two organisations.
Guide Dogs for the Blind, said: “Guide Dogs campaigned hard to make it compulsory for quiet vehicles to have sound generating systems built in and turned on, including when the vehicle is stationary at a pedestrian crossing. We applaud Jaguar for being the first to launch an EV which meets standards before the new legislation even comes in and look forward to working with the company more in the future.”
Jaguar unveiled the I-PACE, its first all-electric vehicle, earlier this year to deliver sustainable sports car performance, next-generation artificial intelligence (AI) technology and five-seat SUV practicality.
Fitted with a state-of-the-art 90kWh lithium-ion battery, two Jaguar-designed motors and a bespoke aluminium structure, the I-PACE is capable of 0-60mph in 4.5 seconds and a range of up to 470 km (292 miles) (WLTP).
