Audi is taking a broader objective in the growing market for electric vehicles with two new compact EVs: the Q4 e-tron and the Q4 Sportback e-tron. Discovered on Wednesday and due out later this year, the two electric SUVs are far more affordable than the flagship E-Tron, but don’t skimp on things like range (up to about 300 miles) and futuristic technology.
The new electric SUVs also represent a kind of strategic shift as they are the first models that Audi will build on a modular electric vehicle platform designed by parent company Volkswagen. This architecture, which Volkswagen refers to as the MEB platform, is powering everything from the entire VW ID lineup of electric cars and SUVs to sub-brands such as EVs such as the E-Skoda and SEAT, and even That Ford-Europe-centric SUV It is part of the alliance formed in 2019.
The new Q4 E-Tron will start at € 43,900 and the Q4 Sportback E-Tron will start at € 43,900 when they go on sale in Germany in June, followed by a wide spread in Europe and then the US before the end of the year. Will go. That time can be perfect. The original E-tron (and its own Sportback variant) struggled mightily in the US by the end of 2020, but Sales have increased dramatically Despite the high price tag. President Biden is making a big push to encourage electric vehicles, including potentially Expansion or extension of the $ 7,500 federal tax credit.
Audi has actually spent almost two years teasing electric versions of its popular Q-series SUVs, and one of the more notable things about the Q4 EVs announced on Wednesday is that they were revealed by the German automaker in 2019 and 2020 Concepts are similar. The same large faux front grille and aggressive body functions that the concepts portrayed should help them stand apart from the competing electric SUVs that the original E-Tron, Mercedes-Benz EQC, or even some There is a possibility of mixing in. Limit VW ID 4.
Audi states that the Q4 E-tron is 4,588 mm (about 15 ft) long, 1,865 mm (about 6 ft) and 1,632 mm (5.4 ft) long. While the company calls it a “compact SUV”, it has a wheelbase that equals a full-size SUV with equal-sized SUV and interior space thanks to all of the EV technology that takes over the built-in NB platform Is being transported. . It is slightly smaller than the original E-tron and Tesla Model Y.
The base models are built on a 55 kWh version of the MEB battery pack (with 52 kWh of usable energy), and Audi says they’ll get about 341 kilometers (212 mi) and 349 kilometers (217 mi) at full charge , Respectively. While this is a healthy part for the size of the battery pack, those estimates are based on a less stringent European WLTP test cycle, meaning their EPA range estimates will likely be slightly lower.
Buyers who want to take their Q4 e-tron fother (or drive them longer between charges) will have to pony up for one of the more expensive configurations, all of which use a 82 kWh battery pack (of usable energy With 77 khh). ) Belongs to.
The Midrange Q4 E-Tron will travel the farthest, offering a 520-kilometer (323 mi) range. (There is no midrange Sportback.) This is followed by the top-of-the-line Q4 E-Tron and Sportback E-Tron, which can travel 488 kilometers (303 mi) and 497 kilometers (309 mi), respectively. The VW ID 4 uses an 82 kWh battery (and even its pack has the same amount of modules – 12), and Just rated for 260 miles by EPA.
Audi did not reveal US pricing, and it will be a while before we get official EPA estimates for the range of each model. But it seems that the new Q4 EV has more value as far as the range goes compared to the E-tron. The original E-tron starts at $ 65,900 and is currently EPA rated 222 miles from its 95 kWh battery, although Audi then decided to increase the useful energy from 83.6 kWh to 86.5 kWh for this year’s model. is. Q4 is likely to start at a lower price point and will be about 50-60 percent more efficient with its energy at the very least.
One reason that the top models do not run out of fairly large battery packs is because the midrange Q4 E-Tron is that they come with all-wheel drive that is powered by a pair of electric motors, one on each axle. This setup makes these most expensive models the fastest, but this extra weight – the top-row Q4 E-Tron weighs 2,135 kg (4,707 lb), versus 1,890kg (4,167 lb) for the base model, and the Sportback five kilograms heavier. Are – this means that they will not be electrocuted quickly. They can run from 0 to 100 kilometers per hour (62 mph) in 6.2 seconds, which is about three seconds faster than the base model but still slower than some of Audi’s competition.
When the starting price is low, buyers will have to pay extra if they want the most fictional technology features that Audi is promising in the new Q4 electrics. The headliner is an augmented reality head-up display system that Audi first showed in March, which has a larger viewing area and is more advanced (and animated) than the generally stable options found on many modern cars. There is an overlay – including navigation markers that “float” “on the road ahead of Q4.
There is also an optional 11.6-inch touchscreen, the largest Audi in its vehicles. The standard screen is the 10.1-inch version found in Audi’s recent cars, but whichever main screen buyer chooses will be a 10.25-inch driver display behind the steering wheel. Audi is also offering the Sonos sound system as an option – the first for the speaker company.
Audi now has plans to roll out hands-free driving features such as the GM-Super Cruise or Ford’s BlueCruise, but the Q4 E-tron will feature a suite of optional driver assistance features that leverage three radar sensors ( One front, two in), eight ultrasonic sensors and five cameras.
Those who don’t want to pay extra will still get wireless charging pads for their smartphones, and features like wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Audi has reopened the steering wheel in the new Q4s which includes a backlit touch surface and flat buttons for a sleek look.
Audi had success with the original E-tron, especially outside the United States, despite its high price tag and sheer range. Company gave Around 50,000 e-tron and Sportback e-tron in 2020This is making the biggest selling EV behind the far cheaper ID3 in the stable of the larger Volkswagen Group last year.
But the Q4 e-tron and the Q4 Sportback e-tron are the German automakers’ best chance at being really big in the electric vehicle space. By taking advantage of Volkswagen’s more efficient and more cost-effective MEB platform, Audi is poised to make a far more compelling pitch with these new EVs – one that will look all the more attractive as governments around the world emphasize and encourage a consumer shift Continue to do. electric vehicles. It may be far behind Tesla in terms of overall EV sales, but Audi is not in a bad position to capitalize on the rise of electric vehicles given its role during the Dieselgate scandal just a few years ago.
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