Audi Q5 e-tron Electric SUV Revealed In China

• Based on VW’s MEB global electric vehicle platform 

• Similarly sized as the ID.6 crossover SUV

• Range of 436km to 588km depending on the variant

• To be offered in two- and three-row seating layouts 

SAIC Audi of China has unveiled its upcoming Q5 e-tron EV at Auto Guangzhou 2021. You might think this electric crossover SUV is related to the Q5 SUV or the e-tron EV that Audi currently sells in India. However, the Q5 e-tron is based on Volkswagen’s ID.6 crossover SUV. It'll be priced in China at the equivalent of Rs 47 lakh to Rs 60 lakh, but isn't likely to be available in other countries.   

VW’s MEB electric vehicle platform underpins the Audi Q5 e-tron. The resemblance to its Volkswagen cousin is uncanny, and the Audi EV has a similar size and cab-forward proportions as the ID.6. At 4.87 metres long, the Audi Q5 e-tron is a tad longer than a VW Tiguan Allspace but shorter than the global Audi e-tron electric SUV. 

Its front fascia features slim headlamps and an oversized covered grille with a wide, gaping air dam below finished in gloss black trim. The sheet metal changes lend the design a more angular appearance than the bulbous ID.6 crossover. The two SUVs are largely similar in profile, and the rear fascia makes for an interesting game of spotting the differences. The Audi has slimmer tail lamps and a more straightforward bumper design than the VW. 

Inside, the Audi Q5 e-tron SUV features a layered, sharply designed dashboard that's distinct from the rest of the Audi lineup. Three models will be available: 180PS Q5 e-tron 35, 200PS Q5 e-tron 40, and 306PS Q5 e-tron 50. The base variant will come with a 55kWh battery pack that’s good for a 436km range. You’ll get an 83.4kWh pack and a 588km range from the mid-spec variant onwards, as tested by China NEDC. Only the top-spec SUV will be equipped with AWD since it gets front and rear axle-mounted electric motors. The lower-spec variants will be RWD only. 

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VW ID.6 image for reference

The Q5 e-tron is unlikely to be sold outside China, but Audi is developing a Q6 e-tron SUV for international markets. It’s reportedly based on a new all-electric platform jointly developed by Audi and Porsche.

As for the Q5 e-tron SUV, it is likely to go on sale in 2022, and it’ll slot between the Q2 e-tron and Audi e-tron EVs in the Chinese market. The mid-spec 40 variant is priced at around Rs 47 lakh, and the top-spec 50 variant costs Rs 58 lakh. The first batch of 'Edition One' SUVs retails for a cool Rs 61 lakh.