What you should know
Electric power meets the crossover craze
Ae-tron electric utility vehicle that’s heading to market this spring will move you quietly, comfortably and cleanly, regardless of weather or road conditions.
It also leads the charge, so to speak, in what will become a range of models from the Volkswagen group (of which Audi is a member) that shuns internal-combustion propulsion.
At the moment, there are only a handful of electric vehicles on the market, and even fewer still that occupy the popular crossover/wagon segment. More are on the way, however, as nearly every mainstream automaker — plus some ambitious startups — will give league-leading Tesla a run for its money.
The five-passenger e-tron has a better-than-decent shot at converting luxury-car buyers to emissions-free driving. This all-wheel-drive wagon is roughly the size of the Q5 and looks just as good, thanks to the design team that attached the brand’s signature trapezoidal grille to the front end.
This appears to be done more for conformity than Tesla Model X
Base price: $79,000
AWD model seats seven, has gull-wing rear doors and a 295mile range.
Porsche Taycan practicality (electric cars typically don’t have grilles), but the e-tron does blend in with the regular gasoline-powered traffic. Ditto for the remaining sheet metal, including muscular fenders and a roofline that tapers into the sloping liftgate. Other than a couple of small e-tron badges, the stylized 20-inch wheels are the only visual clues that this Audi stands apart from the rest of the fleet.
The ultra-techno interior appears similar to other premium Audi models. The two large-size touch screens — one angled upward from the dashboard and the other located directly below in the floor console — operate the various climate, infotainment, navigation and communications systems. Additionally, the freestanding “virtual cockpit” information screen and gauges behind the steering wheel can be customized to suit driver preferences.
Pushing the starter button activates the e-tron’s two independently functioning (asynchronous) electric motors — one for the front axle and one for the rear — that collectively produce 356 horsepower and 414 pound-feet of torque. When set to Sport mode, the output rises to 402 horses and 490 pound-feet. There is no geared transmission, but instead a single-speed controller.
According to Audi, the e-tron in Sport mode can accelerate to 60 mph from rest in 5.5 seconds and achieve a top speed of 124 mph.
The hefty battery pack — located beneath the cabin floor — weighs 1,543 pounds. At full charge, it provides about 225 miles of maximum city/highway range.
Note that the optimum distance between recharges will be significantly reduced in cold weather and when towing. Yes, you can outfit the e-tron to pull 4,000 pounds.
Using a fast-charge DC outlet brings the batteries to 80 percent capacity in about 20 minutes. Alternatively, an available 240-volt home unit can recharge the car to full capacity in nine hours. Unless you have a day or so to spare, don’t bother with 120-volt household current. Consider the 240-volt charger a necessity.
Along with regenerative braking, all e-trons use some Type: Motors (h.p.): Transmission:
Market position: Electricvehicle selection is thin in North America, although there’s greater choice among affordable models than there is at the luxury end of the spectrum. With a hefty base price, will the e-tron be a tough sell?
Points: Appealing design could pass for a “normal” vehicle. First-rate interior appointments include high-tech controls. Electric motors provide plenty of performance, but the system comes up a bit short on range. Base model is expensive but does include numerous premium features that at least partially offset the price.
Active safety: Blind-spot warning with cross-traffic backup alert (std.); active cruise control (opt.); emergency braking (opt.); lane-departure warning (opt.)
MPG equivalent (city/hwy):
Base price (incl. destination): range-extending tricks. The Drive Select control can reduce the air suspension system’s ride height by about an inch for improved aerodynamics. If you decide to head off road, it can be raised up to 2 inches.
In addition, a heat pump captures waste energy from the various electrical components and uses it to heat or cool the cabin, and can extend the e-tron’s range by up to 10 percent.
Pricing for the e-tron begins at $75,800 for the Premium Plus, which comes with a panoramic sunroof, 16-speaker Bang and Olufson sound system, and leather-covered seats (heated and cooled in front).
The Prestige trim level adds active-safety technology — such as emergency braking to prevent rear-end crashes — plus a head-up display (useful information is projected onto the windshield) and premium leather seats with front-seat massage.
The First Edition model has 21-inch wheels, special paint and natural-wood interior trim.
Assuming no government rebates are in play, the dramatically higher price for the e-tron compared to the similarly sized Q5 will no doubt discourage many buyers from going electric. If the latest clean-and-green technology is your thing, however, the e-tron is among the best of the emerging bunch.