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The Jaguar I-PACE shrugged off the steep inclines, twisting tarmac and near freezing temperatures of the UK’s highest paved road to successfully ‘Everest’ at Great Dun Fell, in Cumbria, on a single charge of its 90kWh battery
The award-winning all-electric performance SUV model was driven by Olympic and World champion cyclist, Elinor Barker MBE.
The concept of Everesting is simple, yet extreme: complete a series of runs up an incline until achieving an elevation gain of 8,848m – equal to an ascent of Mount Everest – and the popularity of this endurance challenge boomed among cyclists during the pandemic*.
Known by cyclists as ‘Britain’s Mont Ventoux’ – a reference to the daunting Alpine mountain stage in the Tour de France – Great Dun Fell is home to the highest surfaced road in the UK. The narrow ribbon of asphalt is defined by a series of sweeping bends and gradients of up to 20 per cent as it climbs 547m from the start point used for the challenge to a peak of 848m. Elinor completed 16.2 repeats of the 3.6-mile/5.8km climb (a 7.2-mile/11.6km loop in total) using the I-PACE’s regenerative braking technology to generate approximately 60 per cent*** of additional available energy over the total 16 descents.
Having covered 124-miles (199.6km) in total, including an eight-mile drive to the start point on the fell, the I-PACE completed its energy intensive challenge with 31 per cent battery charge remaining – enough to drive for up to 80-miles (128.7km) more.
Key to the efficient completion of the Everesting challenge was the I-PACE’s regenerative braking system. Developed using technology from Jaguar Racing’s Formula E programme, ‘regen’ is a critical enabler for success on the track. In an average race the I-TYPE 5 generates around 30 per cent*** of additional energy from regen, without it the car simply wouldn’t make it to the chequered flag.