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THE JAGUAR #04

  • Text
  • Jaguar
  • Charging
  • Features
  • Formula
  • Konta
  • Racing
  • Tamara
  • Mirko
  • Piquet
  • European
| A charged-up drive of the New All-Electric Jaguar I-PACE in Portugal’s Algarve | The inside line on the creation of the revolutionary I-PACE | Reinventing a classic: meet the E-type Concept Zero | Fifty years of the iconic XJ saloon | Exclusive interview with tennis star Johanna Konta | Can supercomputers revolutionise art? 

ESSAY NO LONGER

ESSAY NO LONGER THE UGLY DUCKLING HOW GREEN TECHNOLOGY BECAME BEAUTIFUL WORDS: Olivia Solon ILLUSTRATION: Mario Wagner Until recently, choosing a ‘greener’ version of a product would mean compromising on usability and design in return for doing your bit for the planet. Putting up with unsightly solar panels, embarrassingly shaped electric cars and early compact fluorescent lightbulbs was a form of self-punishment for the environmentally dedicated – a bit like veganism before it became ‘plant-based nutrition’ and was endorsed by the likes of Beyoncé. In the last decade, however, green tech has undergone a swan-like transformation, with designers and creators taking as much care over the final form of products as their function. It might seem frivolous to place so much emphasis on aesthetics, but you’re not going to make the masses change their behavior if it requires sacrificing convenience or installing an eyesore. Case in point: the thermostat. Once a deeply unsexy beige box with a calculator display, products like Nest and its smart contemporaries have made it a slick, glowing orb you control via smartphone. Not only does it look better, but it performs better, learning from your behavior around the house to help save money on heating bills. The same has happened elsewhere in the home, thanks to companies like Plumen, whose energy-saving light bulbs come in sculptural shapes that don’t need to be hidden behind a lampshade – unlike the functional prongs and spirals of earlier models. On the roof, solar tiles are now designed to be indistinguishable from materials like slate or asphalt, allowing you to reduce your household electricity bills without marring your period architecture. Outside the home, electric vehicles have evolved from glorified golf carts into some of the sexiest cars on the road – capable of converting even the most passionate motorheads. Take Jaguar’s I-PACE, for example, an all-electric luxury crossover that blasts from 0 to 60 mph in 4.5 seconds * . For those who prefer two wheels, 2018 will see the debut of the Vespa Elettrica, which retains the retro lines of the iconic Italian scooter, while introducing an all-electric motor that can travel 62 miles on one charge according to the company. Perfect for the modern greenie to whom keeping a clean conscience is just as important as getting around in style. But it’s no good buying all these fancy gadgets if we don’t do something about how we source our food. Agriculture is mankind’s biggest contributor to climate change, accounting for a quarter of all greenhouse gas emissions. As the world becomes more urbanized, it makes sense to produce food locally in indoor vertical farms. These high-tech warehouses can grow crops in a controlled environment without sunlight, soil and pesticides and with minimal environmental impact. Where green tech truly excels, however, is when it acts as sexy window dressing for deeply unsexy processes. In Copenhagen, for example, architect Bjarke Ingels is close to completing a waste-to-energy power plant in the center of Copenhagen with a 600-meter-long ski slope on the roof – something he hopes will improve Danes’ chances to take a medal home. But perhaps the best example of green tech being creatively reimagined is the man who has built a contraption that turns dog poop into fuel for a street lamp. Quite the idea! * Always follow local speed limits. 78 THE JAGUAR

CASTROL EDGE PROFESSIONAL JOINT PERFORMANCE CO-ENGINEERED WITH JAGUAR For many years we have worked tirelessly with Castrol to develop engine oils tailored to the performance needs of your Jaguar. Castrol EDGE Professional is the result of our partnership. This uncompromising lubricant is specially formulated by Castrol technologists and Jaguar engineers to improve fuel economy, reduce CO 2 emissions and maximize the performance and life of your Jaguar’s engine. Castrol EDGE Professional is available from your local Jaguar Retailer. RECOMMENDED BY JAGUAR European models shown: 2019 F-TYPE Coupe and Convertible.

 

JAGUAR

THE JAGUAR MAGAZINE

 

JAGUAR MAGAZINE celebrates creativity in all its forms, with exclusive features that inspire sensory excitement, from seductive design to cutting-edge technology.

The latest issue features a range of inspiring people: from Luke Jennings, creator of Villanelle, one of the most interesting television characters in recent times, to Marcus Du Sautoy, who ponders whether artificial intelligence is on the brink of becoming creative. Out on the road, we visit the US to explore the foodie heaven of Portland in a Jaguar I-PACE, take a Jaguar XE to the south of France to get a photographer’s viewpoint of the charming town of Arles, and much more.

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