Happiness is a fast forward «DiePresse.com

Up to here, more or less happily in the fog has been stoked, but more concretely condense the concept of a future electric car, more clearly taking risks and possible side effects to take shape. The expectations of salvation must give way, in the short or long term, to the objections justified in the discussion. For example, in the field of recycling – in the field of lithium-ion batteries, unfortunately, there is virtually none, and there is no predictable model for it.

This is already bad enough considering the millions of small appliances that end up everyday in the garbage, wherever they are burned or buried – but what about traction batteries, which one contains as many raw materials as thousands of smartphones? Even if they find themselves scrapped in caches that find a second life in wealthier households, this does not yet bring back the raw materials.

Or the swaying of the radiant savior, as he stepped forward as a star coach in the klimarettenden Edelstromer, in the sinister, through the medieval reality of cobalt mining regions in Africa: not the only difficult contrast on which we can already adapt.

Nor can you say that the energy balance of electric cars – that is, the amount of carbon dioxide produced by the production to be used – improves the way you look at them. near. Rather the opposite.

New momentum

The automotive industry was exposed to a jumble of hope and disillusionment, which partly explains their hesitation. The policy has ended the non-decision in the meantime: bulk batteries and electric motors incorporate, whatever their design ("light", plug-in, electric battery), and you have for the moment peace . The new impetus for an alternative technology could animate the company if it were done competently. It's a bit like if pharmacies had homeopathy.

Jaguar occupies an enviable position. The experienced CEO, Ralf Späth Courage, unexpectedly opened a window opening into this template. Behind I-Pace, a two-hour conversation would have taken place between him and former BMW Chief Technology Officer, Wolfgang Ziebart, who had come up with an elaborate plan, and then the project was on track. With all the necessary means, although little used, and with the support of the risk of a production outsourced to Magna in Graz.

Happy, who can rest his head in the headrests of an I-Pace. There, he is in good hands, because the acceleration attacks from nowhere, like an attraction between the two with a strong enough kick in the accelerator pedal, are unparalleled. PS sports cars do well to stay away from traffic light duels. Electric cars, specially equipped with all-wheel drive as I-Pace, better dominate the discipline of energy development, namely as flexible as the brute on demand. Either way, you are doomed to be humble in making a long trip and you can count to Vienna-Graz. The Jaguar manages to do that if you start with full batteries – we had a range of 320 km – and you head to Wolfgang Ziebart, who says you should drive the I-Pace like a normal car. Therefore, we do not limit ourselves to 110 km / h in the first lane, but place the cruise control on the authorized limit or slightly above it.

As it is cold, you must heat it, which is a remarkable achievement: keep this dizzying dome pleasant and comfortable at an outdoor temperature of zero degrees, without being able to use the energy nor the lost heat of an engine internal combustion. In this regard, you are looking for a loading option in Graz. E-car is the travel planning, ideally combining the useful (store) with the pleasant (eat, yoga, meditate). If you find a connection of 50 kWh, the snack can be short. After half an hour, you are back in the race for a big step. Even though there are still few charging stations, these are usually unoccupied. That should change soon, a golden era for electric motorists.

It goes without saying that the I-Pace is loaded with all the comforts of a luxury clbad, extended three-meter wheelbase and a practical length of 4.68 m – a package that does not create a conventional car.