Audi has teased us with its vision for electric cars for a while now, with various showcars, a handful production run of R8 e-trons for its most special customers, but its first series production EV will reach showrooms early next year.
The e-tron will follow Jaguar’s I-Pace and Tesla’s Model X with the promise of a 248-mile real-world range and a charging time as low as 30 minutes - assuming you’ve got access to a 150kW charging. That’ll take some time, the fast-charging infrastructure, in Europe at least, being promised by around 2020 along major routes.
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Before we get behind the wheel ourselves later in the year we’re taking a short passenger ride around Copenhagen in the e-tron to see how one of Audi’s most important models in its history is shaping up.
Sized between the Q5 and Q7, there’s plenty of space for four adults, bootspace is good with 600 litres in the rear and a further, useful 60 litres under the bonnet to stow the e-tron’s various charging cables. The interior design largely follows that of Audi’s most recent offerings, though the three screens you’d find in the A6 or A7 are supplemented by an additional pair, which are positioned in the doors to replace the conventional mirrors.
That industry production car first will be optional, with conventional mirrors being standard - or mandatory depending on their legality in certain markets. That innovative first is being offered to allow the e-tron its low drag, which at 0.28 is low for an SUV and instrumental in allowing it its impressive range.
On the move first thing you notice is the serenity on offer from its electric drivetrain; it’s much the same as we’ve experienced from its rivals. Although this early passenger ride was ostensibly to demonstrate the e-tron’s fine refinement and show us the new interior, we did manage to get the lowdown on the e-tron’s specification.
Unlike its Mercedes-Benz EQ C rival, the e-tron will be built at a dedicated production line in Belgium, it riding on a unique, scaleable platform, under which its 95kW battery resides. Audi’s people admit that the platform is around 40 per cent stiffer than the Q5’s to allow for the e-tron’s weight, as well as help with its refinement and dynamic goals.
The e-tron’s battery powers two electric motors offering a combined output of 355bhp, however, a boost function ups power to 402bhp when Sport mode is selected. With that the e-tron should manage a 0-62mph time of under 6 seconds, its top speed anticipated to be 124mph (300km/h).
Like conventionally powered Audis the Drive Select offers a number or modes, from Dynamic, Auto, Comfort, Efficiency, Allroad, Offroad and a configurable setting in Individual, each defining the powertrain, the air suspension and stability and traction control’s operation to suit.
In addition to that, the driver will be able to select a Range Mode, which will reduce consumption from the air conditioning system to maximise potential range. Likewise, regeneration can be modified to suit, to either sail to maximise distance on open roads, or increase the regenerative forces when driving in town. We’ll get a chance to experience that soon, but on early impressions, the e-tron looks like it’s been worth waiting for.
- Model: Audi e-tron
- Price: £65,000 (est)
- Drivetrain: 265kW electric motors (split between two motors)
- Power/torque: 355bhp/600Nm (est)
- Transmission: Single-speed automatic, four-wheel drive
- 0-62mph: 6.0 seconds (est)
- Top speed: 124mph (est)
- Range: 250 miles (WLTP)
- CO2: 0g/km
- On sale: Early 2019
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