Audi lobs latest volley against Tesla
All-electric SUV expected to be in production by 2019 as one of two electric crossovers
Audi is a key part of Volkswagen’s plan to dethrone Tesla. Currently, the company’s only electrified car is the plug-in hybrid A3 e-tron, but executives promise a series of battery-powered models are on the way. Audi previewed one of them at the Shanghai Auto Show by showing a concept named e-tron Sportback.
What is it?
One look at the concept confirms Audi’s design department isn’t quite ready for a revolution. The e-tron Sportback is part fastback, part crossover, but it’s immediately recognizable as a member of the Audi lineup, thanks to a familiar-looking front end. Interestingly, the car projects messages (i.e., “I’m turning right”) on the pavement for pedestrians and other motorists to see.
The e-tron Sportback receives a 430-horsepower electric drivetrain that draws electricity from a 95 kWh lithium-ion battery pack. Engaging a boost mode — which sounds like Audi’s answer to Tesla’s Ludicrous mode — unlocks nearly 500 horses, enough to send the crossover from zero to 100 km/h in 4.5 seconds.
Why does it matter?
If you want an electric crossover, your only option is to send Tesla more than $100,000 and wait for a Model X. The e-tron Sportback signals Audi is ready to tussle for a piece of the pie by offering buyers tech, premium features and zero emissions in a package that should be more affordable and much sexier than Tesla’s proposition.
When will Canada get it?
The head-turning sheet metal hides the foundations of a future car. The concept is fully functional, and Audi promises it will spawn a production model in 2019 at the latest. The design will be toned down, but the proportions and the overall silhouette will remain essentially unchanged. And we’re told the production model will have 500 kilometres of range. Should I buy one? The automotive industry moves at a neck-snapping pace; a lot can happen between now and 2019. Rivals Mercedes-Benz and Jaguar are busily developing their own electric crossovers, and they’re gearing up to start production at about the same time as Audi.
We might even have an idea of what Tesla’s Model Y will look like by the time 2019 rolls around.
Ultimately, whether you should sign the dotted line at an Audi dealership depends on where the competition stands in 2019. The segment the e-tron Sportback will compete in is essentially non-existent today, but it’s going to get really crowded, really fast.
— Driving.ca