Plow King: Electronic Nannies Give Jaguar I-Pace a Black Eye in Moose Test

Jaguar’s electric I-Pace (not to be confused with the gas powered E-Pace) earned unflattering press this past summer after slow sales led to ballooning inventories of the brand’s first EV. Now, there’s another PR stroke against the model, and electricity once again lies at the core of the issue.

As new safety features proliferate across the industry, electronic stability control stands out as one of the veteran lifesaving nannies, joining the fray after anti-lock brakes, airbags, and crumple zones became the norm. In the I-Pace’s case, ESC conspired to turn the model’s “moose test” into a viral sensation.

Having no doubt seen many moose test fails in the past, EV-loving readers will be reassured to learn the I-Pace didn’t tip over or list onto two wheels during an obstacle avoidance test posted to YouTube by Spanish website km77. The low center of gravity afforded by the I-Pace’s large underfloor battery pack kept the cat planted, but the sudden movements of the test vehicle prompted the ESC to step in early and aggressively.

As you can see, the I-Pace, after the initial hard-left turn, locks the front driver’s side wheel, stymying the subsequent hard-right turn needed to get the vehicle back into its proper lane. Instead, the vehicle plows towards the far shoulder before the wheel finally loosens itself from the brake’s grasp. Cones were definitely harmed in this test.

The I-Pace once again enters plow mode once it’s back in the correct lane. Certainly, there was no vehicle upset or back-end sliding action, but the test’s results are not what any automaker wants to see from the moose test.

Recall that the same website once revealed an alarming issue with the Jeep Renegade after filming a test vehicle catching air with its rear wheels during hard braking.

After seeing the video, it’s clear the vehicle’s ESC could use some professional tweaking to better respond to emergency inputs.

[Image: Jaguar Land Rover]