Photo: CarPix
After two concepts and plenty of announcements regarding the Belgium factory where it will be built, the Audi e-tron quattro is finally entering its road testing phase.
Our spies stationed in Europe have just sent us the first images of the Tesla-rivalling electric crossover undergoing hot weather testing. The prototype is wearing full camouflage, but not those black trash bags they put over the top when automakers don't want you to know what's going on.
It's almost like Audi is telling us "look at this, it's not the same as the e-tron concept we showed at the 2015 IAA." And it's not. The overall design is a little bit more crisp, with hints from the new A8. It's even got the same LED strip connecting the taillights. Marc Lichte is clearly stamping his influence on the projects.
Some might say that the looks have been toned down from the design study. But we see it as taking it in another direction. German automakers have always shied away from EVs and hybrids that stand out. In fact, most of them are just regular versions of existing cars.
Audi is against the clock to produce a premium electric crossover. Jaguar might just beat them by a few months, but the competition won't reach the boiling point until Mercedes' EQ joins in.
The whole Volkswagen Group is going to use this modular EV platform, including Porsche. It's predicted that the e-tron quattro will have up to 500 kilometers of range, which frankly isn't amazing when you consider the Renault Zoe offers 400 for a lot less money. But this is the overly optimistic NEDC driving cycle we're talking about, and you'd be lucky to even come close in the real world.
The SUV will be announced in 2018 and will rely on existing fast-charging infrastructure in Europe, the U.S., and Asia. A year after that, a four-door coupe "Sportback" version will also be presented. Audi is rumored to have plans for a sedan as well, something slightly longer than the A3 to compete with the Tesla Model 3.
It's almost like Audi is telling us "look at this, it's not the same as the e-tron concept we showed at the 2015 IAA." And it's not. The overall design is a little bit more crisp, with hints from the new A8. It's even got the same LED strip connecting the taillights. Marc Lichte is clearly stamping his influence on the projects.
Some might say that the looks have been toned down from the design study. But we see it as taking it in another direction. German automakers have always shied away from EVs and hybrids that stand out. In fact, most of them are just regular versions of existing cars.
Audi is against the clock to produce a premium electric crossover. Jaguar might just beat them by a few months, but the competition won't reach the boiling point until Mercedes' EQ joins in.
The whole Volkswagen Group is going to use this modular EV platform, including Porsche. It's predicted that the e-tron quattro will have up to 500 kilometers of range, which frankly isn't amazing when you consider the Renault Zoe offers 400 for a lot less money. But this is the overly optimistic NEDC driving cycle we're talking about, and you'd be lucky to even come close in the real world.
The SUV will be announced in 2018 and will rely on existing fast-charging infrastructure in Europe, the U.S., and Asia. A year after that, a four-door coupe "Sportback" version will also be presented. Audi is rumored to have plans for a sedan as well, something slightly longer than the A3 to compete with the Tesla Model 3.
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