Electric Compact SUV, Expected in 2021, To Offer 300+-mile Range
Audi appears to be listening to consumers and paying attention to its completion. While its first full EV, the midsize E-tron SUV, is selling well (best-selling EV in Norway for the first six months of 2020), it’s been faulted as not being as efficient as its Tesla competition or providing as much EV range. That was addressed this week as Audi did a virtual unveiling of the Audi Q4 E-tron Coupé concept, a barely veiled version of a model that will hit the market next year.
The Q4 E-tron Coupé will be the seventh electric model from Audi when it arrives next year, depending on how introductions roll out in the post-pandemic world. It will join the E-tron and E-tron Sportback already on the market and the E-tron GT and standard Q4 E-tron due in the coming year.
The specs are appealing for this sporty compact crossover, which is expected to start under $50,000. Depending on the battery pack, it will deliver up to 310 miles of range. Twin electric motors in the Quattro version will pack 225 kilowatt (kW) of power (slightly more than 300 horsepower). The rear 150 KW motor is the primary drive unit with the 75 KW front unit called into action when needed.
Common Ground
Both the Q4 E-tron and the Q4 E-tron Sportback are built on the Volkswagen Group’s modular electrification platform (MEB), which will underpin the majority of the EVs from the various VW brands. The two Q4 versions have similar dimensions with the Sportback slightly longer and lower. Both also expect similar performance in the zero-to-62 mph range of 6.3 seconds.
Handling shouldn’t be a problem with more than 1,000 pounds of batteries (82 kilowatt-hours) under the floor, anchoring the car to the ground while also delivering perfect 50-50 weight distribution. Range in the AWD Quattro version is estimated at 279 miles while the rear-wheel drive version delivered up to 310 miles in European testing. Suspension in the concept, expected to be replicated in the production version, is MacPherson strut-based in front with a multi-link rear. Adaptive damping aids in keeping the vehicle planted.
Those batteries are capable of charging at up to 125 kW, which equates to the capability of charging to 80 percent capacity in about 30 minutes at a DC fast-charger.
The Sportback is about style, with its fastback giving the appearance of a much longer vehicle compared to the Q4 E-tron. As with the E-tron, the Q4 models feature a closed octagonal grille that IDs it as an Audi, but doesn’t admit airflow the way the gas and diesel versions do.
The concept car has 22-inch wheels, which may or may not make it into production since the larger E-tron is using 20-inchers. Because the Q4 Sportback is smaller than the E-tron Sportback, it carries a sportier look, blending the look of a crossover with a fastback sedan.
Inside, the Q4 Sportback concept had a 12.3-inch touchscreen that tilts toward the driver and provides access to all infotainment and vehicles functions. The electric design creates a flat floor that optimizes interior space.
Future Audi EVs
Audi is well on its way to the planned 20 fully electric models forecast by 2025. This week it also announced the coming Audi A7 55 TFSIe plug-in hybrid (PHEV), which will join fellow PHEVs in the lineup—the Q5 55 TFSIe SUV and the A8 60 TSFIe sedan. The A7 packs a 14.1 kWh battery, mainly designed to boost efficiency.
Story by Michael Coates. Photos from the manufacturer.
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