King Charles’ Jaguar I-Pace up for auction – the first EV in the Royal Family

In a once in a lifetime opportunity to own a royal eco first, a Jaguar I-Pace personally purchased by King Charles III will go up for auction at Ascot Racecourse next month.

Forever a champion of environmental causes and a known car-enthusiast, King Charles personally purchased this electric car from Jaguar in 2018. 

That made it the first all-electric car in the royal household.

The range-topping I-Pace EV400 HSE, finished in ‘Loire Blue’ at the King’s request, is to be sold by Historics Auctioneers on Saturday 2 March. 

King Charles III’s former Jaguar I-Pace is up for auction March 2nd at Ascot Racecourse. It’s estimated to reach between £55,000 and £70,000

The I-Pace was personally purchased by the King in this one-off ‘Loire Blue’ and was used by His Majesty to drive members of the royal family

With only two owners from new (the King being one of them) it has just 35,000 miles on the clock and is pristine condition

The winning bidder will not only get their hands on the first green royal car, they will also own the only I-Pace in this colour in the world. 

The interior is also finished in a sumptuous, contrasting leather fittingly called Light Oyster Windsor. 

His Majesty originally paid £60,000 for the luxury all-wheel drive EV, which is now estimated to reach £55,000-£70,000 at the open-to-public auction.

Almost as decorated as its former royal owner, the I-Pace has a rich heritage: It’s won 62 international awards including UK Car of the Year, European Car of the Year and World Car of the Year.

With a keen eye of motors, it’s not surprising that the King was one of the first people in Britain to snap up an I-Pace. 

He also has a 1965 Aston Martin DB6 Volante that runs on leftover wine bioethanol.

The I-Pace electric SUV has an electric range of between 252-and 273 miles. 

Seen on public engagements, this I-Pace was used between 2018 and 2020 by the then Prince of Wales  and was the first all-electric car in the royal household

His Majesty has long been an eco champion and a trailblazer for adopting modern environmentally friendly methods of transport

Seen on 2018 with his I-Pace, the car joins King Charles’s impressive car collection that includes a 1965 Aston Martin DB6 Volante that runs on recycled wine bioethanol

Before the car was delivered, King Charles had a fast charger installed at his official London residence, Clarence House, and then proceeded to drive Queen Camilla and other members of the royal family around in this high spec model. 

In December 2020, it was sold by Jaguar North Oxford with just 3,000 miles on the clock to current owner Karen French of Bampton, Oxfordshire.

Kept in pristine condition, she explained how serendipitous her purchase was: ‘This I-Pace was exactly what I was looking for and pretty much on my doorstep. 

‘It was only when I agreed to buy it that I discovered its extraordinary history – I was absolutely thrilled. Having driven it over 30,000 miles, I decided in the New Year that it was time for a change.’

The star lot amongst 180 fine classic and collector cars, the I-Pace is a brilliant piece of electric and royal history, and expected to garner much attention.

This sale comes after the news that the UK used car market is thriving, thanks in part to the influx of second-hand EVs. 

The car has a rich royal provenance, having been used to ferry around members of the royal family on public appearances

Historics’ Head of Auctions, Mathew Priddy, emphasised the car’s enduring collector car value, stating: ‘We are thrilled to bring this royal icon to auction. It’s an unrepeatable piece of electric motoring history. 

‘With the Jaguar I-Pace being discontinued ahead of Jaguar’s re-launch in 2025, this will remain surely the most significant example, which will be reflected in its increasing value.’

With the King frequently photographed at royal engagements getting out of this I-Pace, the next owner will have quite the ownership history to pass on to the grandkids one day.

This post first appeared on Dailymail.co.uk