The Jaguar brand had some fun with the launch of the new I-PACE, enlisting British comedian and EV enthusiast Jack Whitehall and even a few pint-sized kid pros to have a few laughs while showing off the smartest PACE vehicle yet. What's no laughing matter is just how ecofriendly and efficient I-PACE is.

The first new I-PACE, designed and engineered in the UK but built in Graz, Austria, rolled off the line in March. It's a 5-seat SUV but built like a sports car, relying on aluminium architecture to keep it light and compact. The company uses an advanced riveting-bonding technique to keep a stiff body structure, which along with a structural battery pack yields the highest torsional rigidity of any Jaguar today.

Two concentric electric motors, designed with drive shafts that pass through the motors themselves, are placed at each axle to deliver a responsive performance and all-wheel drive, multi-surface traction.

The battery is positioned at center between the axles, as low as possible with a seal between the housing and the underfloor. This allows for even weight distribution and a low center of gravity, and – when coupled with the high-tech suspension system – allows for agile handling of the I-PACE. It also delivers speed: Thanks to torque and energy efficiency features, the car does 0-60mph in 4.5 seconds.

The shift to clean-energy in the light, recyclable materials and electric power was one the company embraced. "We decided to go into this challenge sooner rather than later, because we are Jaguar," the company says. "Because our history is about innovation, and because we're not afraid of the new."

The new I-PACE uses a 432-pouch cell, 90kWh lithium-ion battery pack that delivers an estimated range of 386 kilometers. When out and about, drivers can expect a 0-80 percent charge in about 40 minutes when plugging into a public rapid-charging station that delivers 100kW DC power. At home, using a 7kW wall box system (230V/32A AC), owners will achieve the same charging level in a little more than 10 hours. It's designed so that drivers who go home and plug in the car will have a fresh charge by morning.

An added touch is that the battery system achieves its optimal operating temperature while still connected, so that the I-PACE doesn't have to lose any of its range by doing that after it's charged.

Once owners hit the road, they do so in style. The coupe-like silhouette draws from the Jaguar C-X75 supercar concept, clearly visible in the low hood, roof design and curved rear window. Adding to the aerodynamics is a squared-off rear that drops the drag coefficient to 0.29Cd, and motorized "vanes" in the grille that only open when cooling is required, sending smoother airflow through the hood scoop.

Inside, the I-PACE offers a lot of legroom and storage, since there's no need for a transmission tunnel common with conventional engines. Tablet and laptop storage is stashed beneath the rear seats, and a rear luggage compartment nearly doubles to 1.44 cubic meters when the rear seats are folded flat.

It's available with a Jaguar InControl® Touch Pro Duo™ infotainment system, which has been used in some Range Rover models and relies on a pair of touchscreens that work with both sensors and physical controls. The system includes a navigation system to guarantee range-charging confidence, and app-linked, Alexa-enabled device information such as "Is my car locked?" and "What is the charging level?"