What's this then?

This is the Jaguar I-Pace, the British company's first-ever electric car.

It appears to be power-sliding, on snow. Can electric cars do that?

Well, this one apparently can. Jag is up in the minus 40-degrees frozen north of Sweden, carrying out some last-minute cold weather testing on the I-Pace before it's officially revealed to the public on March 1st.

Quick then, is it?

Yes, but more importantly it's quick at charging. The I-Pace is expected to launch with a one-charge range of around 310 miles, and Jaguar claims that it can be charged up to 80 per cent capacity, from flat, in just 45 minutes from a 100kW fast-charger. That's around 62 miles of extra range every 10 minutes.

That's pretty good. What else did Jaguar have to say?

Ian Hoban, Jaguar Vehicle Line Director, said: "Not only will the I-Pace charge quickly enough for our customers to carry out their everyday lives, it will offer powerful and precise performance in a variety of conditions and climactic extremes. Allied with the versatile credentials of our celebrated Pace family, this will be an electric performance SUV like no other."

What does that mean for I-Pace buyers?

Almost needless to say, owners Pace will be able, via a smartphone app, to preset the car's temperature and air conditioning settings, allowing the I-Pace to cool down or heat up while it's on charge, saving precious battery range for actual driving.

In Sweden, it's all about heating up, of course, and Jag is using its time within the Arctic Circle to make some last-minute tweaks to the stability control, as well as seeing how the batteries and motors cope with such sub-zero conditions.

When does the I-Pace go on sale?

Soon. After that March 1st reveal, the I-Pace will go on display at the Geneva Motor Show, and will then be on sale before the end of 2018.

Neil Briscoe - 31 Jan 2018