Nothing scary about Audi e-tron
AUDI may be a little late arriving to the all-electric party, but with the launch of the all-new e-tron comes absolute proof that it’s been well worth the wait.
It’s the premium German manufacturer’s first fully electric production model and it comes in full-SUV guise sized somewhere between the Q5 and Q7.
There are two trim levels called e-tron and e-tron Launch Edition priced from £71,520 and £82,270 respectively (excluding the £3,500 Government plug-in grant).
There was also an Edition 1 version that was limited to just 30 cars for the UK and they were snapped up within days of being announced.
From a design point of view the e-tron is easily distinguishable from a ‘regular’ model, but it’s not so radical to scare away buyers.
There is a unique e-tron grille, signature daytime running lights with four horizontal struts integrated into the LED headlights, LED Matrix lights, dynamic front and rear sweeping indicators, privacy glass, a panoramic sunroof and a choice of 20 or 21-inch alloys with orange brake calipers available as an option to match the e-tron badges on the front wings.
The interior is premium quality throughout with soft touch surfaces, the finest leather upholstery and a wealth of on-board technology to explore. There are two high definition colour touchscreens with the upper one responsible for all the car’s infotainment, navigation, phone, audio, vehicle settings and much more.
The lower screen is where all the climate control and seat heater functions are located.
Powering the e-tron there is a 95kWh battery mounted beneath the passenger compartment that feeds two electric motors (one on each axle) to produce a maximum 408ps. This translates into a 0-62mph sprint time of 5.7 seconds and top speed limited to 124mph – not bad for a vehicle weighing just shy of 2.5 tonnes.
The driving range is an impressive 241 miles (WLTP) and charging can be as rapid as 30 minutes for up to 80% on a fast charger. Up to 11kW AC charging enables a full charge from empty in 8.9 hours. And for convenience, the e-tron has charging points positioned on both sides of the car.
When it comes to performance, the e-tron needs to be able to challenge the likes of Jaguar’s award-winning I-PACE and it does just that. There are just two gears – forwards or reverse – that are selected via a funky lever.
The acceleration is instant and can be as blistering as you want with the choice of seven drive modes to select from. Despite its larger-than-life dimensions, the e-tron is deceptively agile and great fun to drive with sharp reactions and excellent road holding thanks to Audi’s quattro AWD system.
There is no engine noise so the cabin can be eerily quiet at times with just a little road surface sound filtering through. However, we did notice quite substantial levels of wind noise at higher motorway speeds, but this was easily rectified by turning up the pitch perfect sound system.
Apart from all the clever trickery, the e-tron is a full-sized SUV and needs to meet all the demands of a modern active family and it succeeds on all counts. There is ample room in the car for five adults to travel in comfort with oodles of leg, head and shoulder space.
All in all, factor in the comprehensive array of safety features and the e-tron is a spectacular launch model for Audi in the EV sector.
And it’s just a sign of things to come as Audi claims it is the standard bearer for a major expansion of BEV and
PHEV vehicles that will see in excess of 20 electrified models joining the range by 2025.