What is the compelling reason to buy the new electrically powered Jaguar I-Pace? The saving on running costs? Charging it with electricity will cost about a third of the price of running a petrol or diesel SUV, but this isn’t necessarily a big priority for someone who can afford to spend R1.7m-R1.9m on an I-Pace. The 4.8 seconds it takes to whoosh from 0-100km/h? That’s fast, no arguments, but there are other sporty SUVs that are just as quick, for instance the petrol-powered BMW X4 M40i, which claims a similar 0-100 time but sells for a more palatable R1.1m. The almost completely silent running, then? Perhaps, although humans do tend to enjoy a good engine sound. The prospect of no six-cylinder symphony or V8 war cry cuts out a key emotional sense that some drivers might not be willing to give up. They may see it like being in the front row a rock concert with the sound turned off. So is there a compelling selling point to Jaguar’s luxury electric SUV? Yes, it’s the instant acceler...

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