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Against the backdrop of the San Francisco Bay Area -- Tesla’s home turf and a hotbed of tech-savvy and electric-vehicle enthusiasm -- Audi is formally pulling the wraps off its first all-electric vehicle, the e-tron.
Although this vehicle, which is about the same size as the Tesla Model X (both a size larger than the Jaguar I-Pace, the other new electro-lux SUV), might seem like a taunt to Tesla, Audi sees the goal as a bit different from that: to keep owners in the fold, as EVs become an increasingly viable option for more households.
The vitals are quietly pulse-quickening in this class: a 0-60 mph time of 5.5 seconds, a top speed of 124 mph and a boost mode that for eight seconds (pressing past an accelerator detent) will crank out 300 kW from the motor system versus a peak 265 kW otherwise. Repeatable performance is one development aim, made possible by power management and cooling systems that have been tested obsessively around the globe at climate extremes. Official power, torque and the all-important driving range are still TBA. But Audi has stepped up with one towing number: 4,000 pounds.
The “instant acceleration” claims are bound to become a marketing cliché for electric vehicles. To push that point, Audi says that thanks to the design of the electric motors, they can disengage magnetically when coasting to help efficiency yet can reach maximum drive torque in just 250 milliseconds. The e-tron offers more regenerative braking than some other electric models as well, recovering up to 0.3g (90 percent of braking scenarios) solely from the electric motors and multistage brake regen settings that allow a one-pedal driving feel. The e-tron emphasizes torque from the rear wheels and an ultra-fast, predictive torque distribution system that works similar to Audi’s modern quattro AWD system.
Audi isn’t positioning the e-tron as a compromised narrow niche vehicle, rather as a full-fledged member of the brand’s lineup, described by the automaker as “electrified, performance-oriented and fit for every aspect of daily life.” Design-wise, the e-tron elicits a double take -- it looks like an especially low-set version of the brand’s Q7 SUV or a new vehicle that should be bearing an Allroad badging.
Proportionally, the e-tron is more hunkered down than the brand’s tailpipe-bearing SUVs -- the consequence of both a lower-profile body and a lower ride height. All e-trons will be fitted with adaptive damping and an air suspension that can adjust ride height by up to 3 inches. The system drops the ride height about an inch from the standard level for aerodynamic advantages, and it can raise it up to 2 inches with offroad and raise modes -- although all-weather tractability rather than off-roading was the emphasis in development.
Audi hasn’t made many big design concessions to underscore that the e-tron has no engine, fuel tank or tailpipe. There seem to be some design details that, while cute, are only going to resonate with EV geeks -- like the black insert at the bottom of the door trim that “visualizes the location of the battery and thus the energy center,” and the daytime running lamps that Audi says “are a graphical representation of full battery charge.” The underbody is fully clad to both help protect the battery and aid aerodynamics. Audi executives point out that the camera-based rearview-mirror system that other markets get cuts the coefficient of drag from 0.28 to 0.27, but it isn’t allowed in the U.S.
A look inside the Audi e-tron
Inside, the e-tron interface isn’t that far from that of the brand’s latest large sedans and SUVs. In front of the driver is a version of the now-familiar Virtual Cockpit, a reconfigurable gauge cluster, while there’s MMI navigation with predictive destination features and real-time traffic -- plus route planning for that next charge. An LTE advanced data connection and Wi-Fi hotspot keep everyone onboard connected. All models get 705-watt, 16-speaker Bang & Olufsen sound.
The e-tron is a few inches smaller than the Audi Q7 in every key dimension on the outside -- a generous midsizer by U.S. standards -- but it’s a significantly larger vehicle than both the brand-new 2019 Jaguar I-Pace and upcoming (in 2020) Mercedes-Benz EQC, and it feels just as spacious as the Q7 from a passenger standpoint. Cargo capacity is a generous 28.5 cubic feet in five-passenger mode, or 57.0 with the seats flipped down.
This is the first time Audi has revealed pricing for the e-tron, and it’s not too far from that of the Tesla Model X. The base model costs $75,795 and includes a panoramic sunroof, full LED (inside and outside) lighting, power heated and cooled front seats, a top-view camera system, side assist and cross-traffic alert. The $82,795 Prestige model gets premium leather upholstery, individual contour seats with massage, dual-pane acoustic side windows in front, a head-up display, power door closers, rear sunshades and an air quality package with ionizer.
At the top of the lineup is the limited-build $87,695 First Edition, to be made in a run of just 999 units for the U.S. market. This model gains a night-vision assistant and amps up the appearance with flashy bicolor black wheels (21-inch versus 20s standard), orange brake calipers, puddle lamps, Daytona gray pearl effect paint and black leather interior with gray contrast stitching with volcano gray ash natural wood inlays.
U.S. deliveries of the e-tron will start in the second quarter of 2019, and the order banks are open today, with Audi asking for a fully refundable $1,000 reservation fee -- the start of a new, Tesla-like reservation system that will allow customers to track their vehicle as it makes its way to the local dealer.
Charging remains one of Tesla’s big advantages in the EV field, and Audi can’t yet offer anything quite as convenient as Tesla’s Supercharger network, but it’s working on it -- and coordinating with Electrify America, the effort supported by the Volkswagen diesel settlement. It claims that by July 2019 there will be nearly 500 DC fast charging sites. You’ll get 1,000 kWh of free charging -- likely nearly a dozen full charges -- bundled in, to use at those sites over four years.
Since equipping one’s home for overnight vehicle charging isn’t always so straightforward, Audi is turning to Amazon Home Services for a streamlined installation that it promises will be as easy as ordering other Amazon goods and services. Beginning today, you’ll be able to click a set price for your area and an Amazon-approved electrician will make it happen; some of the chargers are even Alexa-enabled.
Audi waves its eco-credentials with a Brussels, Belgium, factory that’s been certified carbon neutral. And it pledges a fully supported ownership experience, via the brand’s 303 U.S. dealerships. With a spacious midsize SUV that goes electric, with the feature set and cabin appointments of a true luxury vehicle and without the gimmickry of Tesla’s falcon-wing doors, it doesn’t seem like it will take much to woo existing Audi fans over to the electric side. And for those with doubts, it’s an open secret, as several officials have put it, that a performance-oriented version with three motors (two in back) is on the way.
But does the e-tron look different enough from the rest of the Audi lineup to be seen as an electric vehicle? Is Tesla starting to carry more baggage, and is that a good thing? Stay tuned; EV 2.0 feels like it’s just starting to hit its stride.