Audi's first electric SUV is called the e-tron. It has all-wheel drive, 400 kilometres of range and 408 horsepower. Built in a carbon-neutral plant, it is fast (200 km/h), connected and equipped with a 95 kWh battery.
The full name is e-tron 55 quattro and it is the first in a long line of electric Audis — the Volkswagen Group brand that, as announced on numerous occasions, is committed to a major transition towards sustainable mobility. Thanks to joint development through VW's Modular Electric Drive Matrix (MEB), as announced at the recent Geneva Motor Show, thirty electric or electrified models will be available by 2025. In the meantime, here is a portrait of the e-tron in brief: maximum power 360 horsepower (up to 408 for a few seconds), 95 kWh battery, declared range of 417 kilometres, all-wheel drive. Two electric motors and impressive performance (despite the dimensions — nearly 5 metres in length — and the considerable weight of 2,490 kg): a top speed of 200 kilometres per hour and acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h in 5.7 seconds. The price starts from €83,930, making the Audi e-tron an alternative to two other electric SUVs, the Jaguar i-Pace and the Tesla Model X.
The Audi e-tron is the German brand's first electric SUV. It features two electric motors and all-wheel drive. ©Audi
For the Audi e-tron, this will become possible from the second half of the year. In the future it will increasingly be a viable option: the ability to update your electric car or purchase certain optional extras — or rather additional vehicle functions — directly online. In practice, anyone who buys an electric e-tron can choose to purchase, even at a later date, features such as Matrix LED headlights (powerful diodes that illuminate the road by varying the beam without dazzling other vehicles), park assist or infotainment systems. Additional functions that can be purchased permanently or simply trialled for a period: you pay online and if you like them you keep them, if not you "return" them.
It is among the first cars to adopt this solution. On the Audi e-tron, the traditional rear-view mirrors can disappear, replaced by two cameras and two corresponding internal 7-inch touch displays (optional on request, around €2,000). The advantages? A slight improvement in aerodynamics (which, according to Audi, translates into approximately 5 extra kilometres of range) and enhanced safety. In everyday use a little getting used to is required, but the driver's ability to "zoom in" with their fingers on the projected image does indeed make it easier to spot obstacles, especially when manoeuvring.
The e-tron is an SUV with dimensions that are decidedly ill-suited to city driving. It is nearly 5 metres long and over 2 metres wide. A proportionally spacious interior, suitable for up to five people, is only to be expected. The comfort is remarkable — not only thanks to the silence typical of electric cars, but also owing to the insulation from the outside environment (the side windows are double-glazed) and the absence of aerodynamic wind noise. The suspension, too, capable not only of varying the ride height but also of adjusting the setup to favour either comfort or dynamic driving at the driver's choice, almost entirely smooths out potholes and road irregularities, making for a very comfortable journey.
Among the most high-performing electric models on the market, Audi has chosen to equip the e-tron with two motors and a maximum output of 408 horsepower. The result is the performance of a sports car combined with the comfort of a family saloon. All of this with the added benefit of all-wheel drive, which allows the car to tackle terrain such as mud, snow or dirt tracks in complete safety; to improve efficiency, only rear-wheel drive is activated on dry road conditions. The battery is mounted low in the "floor", helping to lower the centre of gravity and enhancing driving pleasure (which is, indeed, considerable). Comfort, efficiency and sportiness are the three driving modes on offer. The energy recovery system during braking and when lifting off the accelerator (three levels available) is highly effective, even if less perceptible than on other electric models. Numerous solutions have been adopted to improve efficiency: from the heat pump that powers the cabin climate control, to aerodynamics with a completely flat underbody, to the electrically operated air intakes at the front that open and close to optimise airflow. And the range? The Audi e-tron is heavy – despite the extensive use of aluminium – and making full use of the power (a strong temptation given the car's characteristics) risks significantly reducing the range: from the stated 400 kilometres, one can end up with a more "realistic" 280–300 kilometres of range.
Equipped with a 95 kWh battery, the Audi e-tron features a charging system that supports fast chargers of up to 150 kW (an 80 per cent charge would take just 30 minutes), though these are not yet available within Italy's charging infrastructure. Charging times are naturally much longer when using a standard domestic socket – roughly one night on average; two cables are supplied with the car, one for the classic 220-volt supply at up to 2.3 kW and one three-phase 400-volt cable at 11 kW. Of particular interest is the system that, when the car is charging at home, avoids overloading the grid, takes advantage of off-peak tariff periods when electricity costs less, and – should a photovoltaic system be available – adjusts the charging rate according to solar irradiation. Like many electric models, the e-tron also offers a dedicated app that allows charging operations to be managed remotely, as well as climate control and journey planning. Furthermore, the navigation system features a "trip planner" function modelled on the one offered by Tesla, which allows users to plan a journey by factoring in the charging stops required and adjusting them as needed based on traffic conditions or driving style.
On board, the Audi e-tron says goodbye to buttons and switches, replacing them with two large displays that, combined with voice commands and, soon, the Amazon Alexa voice assistant, allow all the main functions to be managed safely and without distraction. A system is available that allows multiple users to access the car via their smartphone. And on the subject of safety, the e-tron offers all the driver assistance systems currently available on the market: from adaptive cruise control that brakes and accelerates autonomously, to a system that reads road signs, through to a system that detects bends, turns and roundabouts and adjusts the speed automatically.
Audi produces the e-tron in Brussels, one of the few carbon-neutral plants in Europe, alongside those of Lamborghini in Sant'Agata Bolognese and Volvo in Skövde, Sweden. The Belgian factory runs entirely on energy from renewable sources, has a solar panel system covering 37,000 square metres and produces biogas to heat its offices. Audi has also declared its intention to make all its production sites carbon-neutral by 2030.