Audi has been aiming higher in the field of Electric Vehicles. The latest addition to its EV range is the new Q4 e-Tron and Q4 e-Tron Sportback. This might be the best shot in EVs by Audi.
Key Points:-
- Audi unveiled two new electric crossovers on Wednesday: the 2022 Q4 E-Tron and Q4 E-Tron Sportback.
- The base model will cost under $45,000 and have a range of around 250 miles, Audi said.
- The twin EVs will hit US dealerships toward the end of 2021.
Revealed on Wednesday and due out later this year, the two electric SUVs are far more affordable than the flagship E-Tron but also don’t skimp on things like range (up to around 300 miles) and futuristic tech.
The new electric SUVs also represent a strategic shift of sorts because they’re the first models Audi will build on the modular electric vehicle platform designed by parent company Volkswagen. This architecture, which Volkswagen refers to as the MEB platform, is powering everything from the entire VW ID lineup of electric cars and SUVs, to EVs from sub-brands like Škoda and Seat, and even a Europe-focused SUV from Ford that’s part of an alliance the created in 2019.
The two EVs will hit US dealer lots toward the end of 2021 with a starting MSRP of less than $45,000, Audi says. And that's before the federal tax incentive that could effectively knock the price down another $7,500. The two models are essentially twins, with the Sportback version aimed at customers interested in sacrificing a bit of trunk space for a roof that slants down in the back. Audi says they're roughly the same size as its gas-powered Q5 SUV.
They're Audi's fourth and fifth battery-powered vehicles for the US market, after the larger E-Tron and E-Tron Sportback crossovers and the E-Tron GT sports sedan. A 2021 E-Tron will run you at least $66,000.
Audi Q4 e-Tron Sportsback - atmtechofficial
Audi says the Q4 E-Tron measures 4,588mm (about 15 feet) long, 1,865mm (about 6 feet) wide, and 1,632mm (about 5.4 feet) tall. While the company calls it a “compact SUV,” it has a wheelbase that’s more comparable to a midsize SUV and interior space on par with a full-size SUV, which is thanks to all of the EV tech being moved to the underlying MEB platform. It’s a bit smaller overall 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’ll get about 341 kilometers (212 miles) and 349 kilometers (217 miles) on a full charge, respectively. While that’s a healthy chunk of range for the size of the battery pack, those estimates are based on the less stringent European WLTP test cycle, meaning their EPA range estimates will likely be a bit lower.
Audi Q4 e-Tron Sportsback - atmtechofficial
The midrange Q4 E-Tron will travel the farthest, offering 520 kilometers (323 miles) of range. (There is no midrange Sportback.) Then there’s the top-of-the-line Q4 E-Tron and Sportback E-Tron, which can respectively travel 488 kilometers (303 miles) and 497 kilometers (309 miles) on a full charge. The VW ID 4 also uses an 82 kWh battery (and even has the same amount of modules — 12 — in its pack), and it just got rated for 260 miles by the EPA.
Audi Q4 e-Tron - atmtechofficial
There will also be a Q4 50 E-Tron and a Q4 50 E-Tron Sportback, which come equipped with an extra motor powering the front wheels. Those models will put out 295 horsepower, compared to the base version's roughly 200.
Audi didn't release range figures for the dual-motor Q4 models but said they will be nearly as efficient as the single-motor version thanks to a system that switches on all-wheel-drive only when the extra power or traction is needed.
Talking about the interior, There’s also an optional 11.6-inch touchscreen, the largest Audi’s ever put in one of its vehicles. The standard screen is the same 10.1-inch version found in Audi’s recent cars, but regardless of which main screen buyers choose, 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 a first for the speaker company.
While the starting price is lower, buyers will have to pay extra if they want the most fanciful tech features that Audi is promising in the new Q4 electrics. The headliner is an augmented reality heads-up display system that Audi first showed off in March, which has a larger viewing area and more advanced (and animated) overlays than the typically static options found on many modern cars — including navigation markers that “float” on the road ahead of the Q4.
Audi has, for now, abandoned plans to roll out a hands-free driving feature like GM’s Super Cruise or Ford’s BlueCruise, but the Q4 E-Trons will have a suite of optional driver assistance features that leverage three radar sensors (one in front, two in back), eight ultrasonic sensors, and five cameras.
Audi Q4 e-Tron Interior - atmtechofficial
Those who don’t want to pay extra will still get features like a wireless charging pad for their smartphones, and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Audi has also revamped the steering wheel in the new Q4s to include backlit touch surfaces and flat buttons for a sleeker look.
But the Q4 E-Tron and Q4 Sportback E-Tron are the German automaker’s best chance yet at going truly big in the electric vehicle space. By leveraging Volkswagen’s more efficient and more cost-effective MEB platform, Audi is ready to make a far more compelling pitch with these new EVs — one that will look all the more attractive as governments around the world continue to emphasize and incentivize a consumer shift to electric vehicles. It may still be far behind Tesla when it comes to total EV sales, but Audi’s not in bad shape to capitalize on the rise of electric vehicles considering its role at the heart of the Dieselgate scandal just a few short years ago.
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