Jaguar I-Pace revealed as South Africa’s first bulletproof electric vehicle

Armour adds 180kg to the I-Pace's weight, but offers B4 levels of protection capable of withstanding a 44 calibre handgun.

Armoured Jaguar I-Pace revealed as first for SA

Guarded I-Pace doesn’t like different from the standard model on first glance.

Armoured vehicle manufacturer, Armormax, has debuted it latest creation based on the Jaguar I-Pace it claims is the first bulletproof all-electric vehicle available in South Africa.

While standard in appearance, the majority of the adaptions have taken place underneath the I-Pace’s skin in order to comply with the B4 levels of protection.

What is it?

Weighing a claimed 180kg, which ups the weight of the I-Pace to 2 388 kg, the process involves the fitting of run-flat tyres, replacing the windows with what Armormax calls “the highest-grade” of ballistic glass and fitting the doors and panels with an in-house developed synthetic armour that said is to be lightweight, but able to provide protection against attacks involving a 44 calibre handgun.

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A project approved by Jaguar-Land Rover South Africa, the B4 armoured I-Pace’s interior continues unchanged, bar the inclusion of an intercom system that allows for communication with the outside.

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While Armormax didn’t disclose any further details, a gander at its website confirms the B4 level involves additional armouring of not only the roof pillars, but also the rear seats as well as the partition that separates the boot from the cabin.

No additional grunt

The process takes 20 working days and doesn’t involve any modifications up front or underneath, meaning the I-Pace still produces 294kW/696Nm from its 90-kWh battery.

Unknown though is how the added weight impacts on the I-Pace’s performance that currently stands at 200 km/h, 0-100 km/h in 4.8 seconds and a claimed range of 470 km.

“This project presented a great opportunity to challenge ourselves and expand our capabilities. We immediately involved the technical team at Jaguar Land Rover South Africa to assist and they were fantastic in helping us understand the intricacies of this electric vehicle,” Armormax Managing Director, Grant Anderson, said.

“We are proud to say we built this car to our high standard despite the challenges and left the base vehicle very much unchanged.”

Price

Despite Armormax not confirming pricing outright, TopAuto reports the modifications amount to R739 000, which when added to the I-Pace’s sticker price, totals R2 813 700 inclusive of the standard five-year/100 000 km maintenance plan and eight-year/160 000 km battery warranty.

For details on Armormax’s operations can be found here.