Audi e-tron All-Electric SUV Unveiled

Audi has launched its first all-electric mass-produced vehicle. This is the Audi e-tron.

The e-tron will be available in the US and select European markets in the second half of 2019, with prices starting at $74800 (~Rs 54.2 lakh) and €79900 (~Rs 67.67 lakh) respectively.

Audi says the e-tron will be used every day, with enough real-world range for most users. It will boast spacious interiors and digital-friendly features and will satisfy the needs of users who are increasingly becoming more tech-savvy.

This will be the first time Audi’s signature quattro AWD system will be implemented in an electric car. The electric motors, one on each axle, can send the power to each wheel individually and change the amount of power sent almost immediately based on different factors.

The Audi e-tron is not a futuristic-looking SUV, though there are new elements which will be signature to future electric SUVs. Why has Audi not gone ballistic with the design? It could be a shock to many if a futuristic design was introduced this early - which could result in low demand. There’s also the fact that the Audi e-tron is based on a platform which has to support pure ICE (internal combustion engine) or hybrid vehicles too.

In terms of design, the Audi e-tron looks similar to the Q8, but with its own design flourishes which were first showcased on the e-tron concept shown earlier. There is a 4-strake theme around the car, from the inverted grille (which is mostly a single-piece unit as there is no engine to cool off) to the headlamps and the alloy wheels. The taillamps are connected by a slim light bar which lights up to welcome users as they approach the car.

A highlight of the Audi e-tron is the first-ever camera-based ORVMs on a production car. This replaces traditional ORVMs and has two distinct advantages: It makes the SUV highly aerodynamically efficient and also improves safety.

The Audi e-tron is powered by two electric motors: the one powering the front motor develops 170PS of maximum power, while the rear unit develops 190PS. Combined, these develop 360PS of maximum power and can propel the SUV from 0-100kmph in 6 seconds. There is a boost mode available where the motors pump out a maximum of 408PS, thus reducing the 0-100kmph time to 5.7-seconds.

These motors draw power from a 95kWh 36-module, battery pack placed on the floor. This supports a fast 150kW charging capability which can charge the battery from no charge to 80 per cent in 30 minutes. Combined with brake energy recuperation, the Audi e-tron has a claimed range of 400km in the WLPT (Worldwide harmonized Light vehicles Test Procedure) test.

The Audi e-tron boasts of being ‘extremely well connected’. The large displays inside the car and the users smartphone can be used to plan your trips, order car-specific services on the go and even decide the level of energy recuperation. The myAudi app will be the central place for all digital interactions between Audi and its future customers, allowing them to even order their customised car online (service currently limited to Germany).

Enhanced NVH measures adopted by Audi means the e-tron is cocooned from road noise much better than its ICE counterparts. A 16-speaker, 705W Bang & Olufsen surround sound system can works its magic even better thanks to the quieter cabin.

A 660-litre boot can be expanded to 1725-litres, and there is a 60-litre ‘frunk’ too, which would only be good enough to keep the cables necessary to charge the e-tron. The lack of a central transmission tunnel allows for more storage spaces in the front lower console, and more space for a third passenger in the second row.

The Audi e-tron will be assembled exclusively at the company’s CO2-neutral plant in Brussels, Belgium, and will be shipped to markets worldwide, including India hopefully. The e-tron will be followed by the e-tron Sportback in 2019, and the Avant (fastback/notchback) model later. Audi aims to have 12 all-electric models in its portfolio by 2025.