autoevolution
 

Audi Electrifies Q7 With Two PHEV Models: the 55 TFSIe and 60 TFSIe

As you already know, the Q7 has been updated for the 2020 model year. The mid-cycle refresh has also opened the path to further electrification of the luxury SUV, embodied by the 55 TFSIe and 60 TFSIe.
2020 Audi Q7 60 TFSIe 23 photos
Photo: Audi
2020 Audi Q7 60 TFSIe2020 Audi Q7 60 TFSIe2020 Audi Q7 60 TFSIe2020 Audi Q7 60 TFSIe2020 Audi Q7 60 TFSIe2020 Audi Q7 60 TFSIe2020 Audi Q7 60 TFSIe2020 Audi Q7 60 TFSIe2020 Audi Q7 60 TFSIe2020 Audi Q7 60 TFSIe2020 Audi Q7 60 TFSIe2020 Audi Q7 60 TFSIe2020 Audi Q7 60 TFSIe2020 Audi Q7 60 TFSIe2020 Audi Q7 60 TFSIe2020 Audi Q7 60 TFSIe2020 Audi Q7 60 TFSIe2020 Audi Q7 60 TFSIe2020 Audi Q7 60 TFSIe2020 Audi Q7 60 TFSIe2020 Audi Q7 60 TFSIe2020 Audi Q7 60 TFSIe
“What is that mumbo-jumbo supposed to mean anyway?” Glad you’ve asked, dearest reader, but we won’t delve into the Audi nomenclature because it doesn’t make too much sense anyway. What’s important to highlight is that 60 is larger than 50, which translates to a bit more power.

Starting off with the Q7 55 TFSIe, this plug-in hybrid SUV marries a turbocharged V6 engine with an electric motor for a system output of 381 PS (375 horsepower) and 600 Nm (442 pound-feet). The Q7 60 TFSIe features 456 PS (450 horsepower) and 700 Nm (516 pound-feet) of torque.

Both models house the electric motor in the eight-speed automatic transmission, and the plug-in hybrid system further includes a Lithium-Ion battery with 17.3 kWh on tap. That’s enough for an EV Mode driving range of up to 43 kilometers on the WLTP, translating to 26.7 miles at best.

There’s also a Boost Mode built into the Q7 60 TFSIe, enabling an acceleration of 5.7 seconds from zero to 100 km/h. The 50 is two-tenths of a second slower, and both are limited to 250 km/h (150 mph).

In either case, the Q7 TFSIe is able to drive on electric power alone at speeds of up to 135 km/h (84 mph). Save for derestricted zones of the Autobahn, that’s the highway speed of most European countries.

Drivers are also treated to Auto and Hold modes, and the latter is programmed to retain the battery’s energy level and slowly charge it through brake energy recovery. Freewheeling is another specialty of the drivetrain, designed to switch off the 3.0-liter engine while driving and to harvest the kinetic energy at rates of up to 25 kW. Not bat at all, Audi, not bad at all!

Curiously enough, both the 50 and 60 are WLTP-rated 3.0 to 2.8 liters per 100 kilometers on the combined driving cycle. That’s 69 to 64 grams of CO2 per kilometer, an impressive achievement given the size and weight of the Q7.
If you liked the article, please follow us:  Google News icon Google News Youtube Instagram X (Twitter)
press release
About the author: Mircea Panait
Mircea Panait profile photo

After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well.
Full profile

 

Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?

You will only receive our top stories