Audi is targeting the growing electric vehicle market with two new compact EVs: the Q4 E-Tron and the Q4 Sportback E-Tron. The two electric SUVs unveiled on Wednesday and released later this year are far more affordable than the flagship E-Tron.
The new electric sport utility vehicles are also a strategic shift as they are the first models Audi will build on the modular electric vehicle platform designed by parent company Volkswagen. This architecture, which Volkswagen calls the MEB platform, drives everything from the entire VW ID range of electric cars and SUVs, to EVs from sub-brands such as Škoda and Seat, and even a Europe-oriented SUV from Ford that is part of ‘ an alliance created in 2019.
The new Q4 E-Tron starts at € 41,900 and the Q4 Sportback E-Tron at € 43,900 when they go on sale in Germany in June, and sales will then spread more widely to Europe and to the US before the end of the year. . That timing might just be perfect. The original E-Tron (and its own Sportback variant) struggled strongly in the US towards the end of 2020, but sales rose dramatically despite the higher price. President Biden is making a major effort to encourage electric vehicles, including extending or extending the $ 7,500 federal tax credit.
Audi’s actually spent about two years teasing electric versions of its popular Q-Series SUVs, and one of the more remarkable things about the Q4 EVs announced on Wednesday is how much it resembles the concepts the German carmaker introduced in 2019 and 2020 revealed. They both retain the same large art grille and aggressive bodywork that the concepts contain, which should help them differentiate from competing SUVs that are more likely to merge – such as the original E-Tron, the Mercedes-Benz EQC or even for some range of the VW ID 4.
Audi says the Q4 E-Tron is 4,588 mm (about 15 feet) long, 1865 mm (about 6 feet) wide and 1,632 mm (about 5.4 feet) long. Although the company calls it a ‘compact SUV’, it has a wheelbase comparable to a mid-size SUV and interior space, equivalent to a full SUV, thanks to all the EV technology that goes to the underlying MEB platform is shifted. . It’s generally a bit smaller than the original E-Tron and the Tesla Model Y.
The base models are built on a 55 kWh version of the MEB battery pack (with 52 kWh of usable energy), and Audi says they will get about 341 kilometers (212 miles) and 349 kilometers (217 miles) at full charge. respectively. Although this is a healthy part of the size of the battery, the estimates are based on the less stringent European WLTP test cycle, which means that their EPA calculations are likely to be a bit lower.
Buyers who want to take their Q4 E-Tron further (or charge longer) will have to pony up for one of the more expensive configurations, all of which are built on an 82 kWh battery pack (with 77 kWh of usable energy.).
The mid-range Q4 E-Tron will drive the farthest and offer 520 kilometers (323 miles) of range. (There is no Sportback center.) Then there is the top-of-the-line Q4 E-Tron and Sportback E-Tron, which can travel 488 kilometers (303 miles) and 497 kilometers (309 miles) at full charge, respectively. . The VW ID 4 also uses an 82 kWh battery (and even has the same amount of modules – 12 – in its packaging), and the EPA has rated it at only 260 km.
Audi has not announced US prices, and it will be a while before we get official estimates from the EPA for the range of each model. But there seems to be more value in the new Q4 EVs in terms of range compared to the E-Tron. The original E-Tron starts at $ 65,900 and currently gets an EPA-rated 222 miles of its 95 kWh battery, though Audi has decided to increase the usable energy from 83.6 kWh to 86.5 kWh for this year’s model increase. The Q4 is likely to start at a lower price point and will be at least about 50-60 percent more efficient with its energy.
One of the reasons why the top models do not get as much out of the larger battery pack as the mid-range Q4 E-Tron is that they are powered by four-wheel drive by a pair of electric motors, one on each axle. This setup makes these most expensive models the fastest, but that extra weight – the top-line Q4 E-Tron weighs 2,135 kg (4,707 pounds), compared to 1,890 kg (4,167 pounds) for the base model, and the Sportbacks are five kilograms heavier. – means that they will not be lightning fast. They can reach 0 to 100 kilometers per hour (62 miles per hour) in 6.2 seconds, which is about three seconds faster than the base models, but still slower than some of Audi’s competition.
While the starting price is lower, buyers will have to pay extra if they want the most amazing technological features that Audi promises in the new Q4 electricity. The headliner is an augmented reality head-up display system that Audi first introduced in March, with a larger viewing area and more advanced (and animated) covers than the typical static options found in many modern cars – including navigation markers that ‘float’ ”On the road before the Q4.
There’s also an optional 11.6-inch touchscreen, the largest Audi ever placed in one of its vehicles. The standard screen is the same 10.1-inch version found in Audi’s recent cars, but no matter which head screens the main screen chooses, there will be a 10.25-inch driver display behind the steering wheel. Audi is also offering a Sonos sound system as an option – which is the first time for the speaker business.
Audi has tentatively abandoned plans to introduce a hands-free driving feature such as Ford’s Super Cruise or Ford’s BlueCruise, but the Q4 E-Trons has a range of optional driver assistance features that use three radar sensors (one front, two rear), eight ultrasonic sensors and five cameras.
Those who do not want to pay extra, still get features like a wireless charging tray for their smartphones, and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Audi has also revamped the steering wheel in the new Q4s to include taillight touch surfaces and flat buttons for a sleeker look.
Audi has achieved success with the original E-Tron, especially outside the United States, despite the high price and the unobtrusive range. The company delivered nearly 50,000 E-Trons and Sportback E-Trons in 2020, making it the second best-selling EV in the larger Volkswagen group’s stable last year behind the cheaper ID 3.
But the Q4 E-Tron and Q4 Sportback E-Tron are the German carmaker’s best chance to get really big in the electric vehicle space. Taking advantage of Volkswagen’s more efficient and cost-effective MEB platform, Audi is poised to make a much more compelling pitch with these new EVs – one that will look all the more appealing as governments around the world continue to make a move to emphasize and encourage consumers. electric vehicles. It may still be far behind Tesla when it comes to total EV sales, but Audi is not bad at taking advantage of the increase in electric vehicles, as it was the role in the Dieselgate scandal a few short years ago.