Photo: Audi AG
Although Audi doesn’t look ready to give up on its traditional powertrains just yet, the Ingolstadt-based automaker seems keen on exploring just about every possible alternative. Electrification is always a good choice when striving for increased sustainability, so the company continues to take baby steps in that direction. Without being too ironical, we say that thinking about the segment where the company’s latest plug-in hybrids can be found.
In the United States, Audi’s smallest Q offering starts exactly at the Q3 and Q3 Sportback level. In Europe, the Ingolstadt-based automaker is also touting the stylish Q2 – but, anyway, all of them are subcompact offerings.
After the company bestowed some CNG power on the A3 Sportback and decided the 2021 SQ5 manufactured in Mexico should come to Europe with a diesel under the hood, it’s now ready to introduce the first-ever PHEV powertrain for the Q3 and Q3 Sportback crossovers.
In Audi’s usual way of messing up the naming scheme, they’re called the Q3 45 TFSI e and Q3 Sportback 45 TFSI e – anyone who doesn’t pay attention will easily miss the lowercase “e” denoting the plug-in hybrid option. Anyways, that doesn’t matter that much when compared to the juicier technical details.
The eighth model line of the brand’s expanding TFSI e family has been announced for the UK market first, and Audi expects it to become available for ordering next spring – although pricing details are still being withheld for a little while longer.
Both the regular Q3 and the coupe-like Q3 Sportback will arrive in S line, Black Edition, and Vorsprung trims while the base Technik grade is only available for the former model. Regardless of the selection, customers will receive an electrified powertrain consisting of a 1.4-liter TFSI gasoline engine (150 PS / 148 hp), an 85-kW (114 hp) electric motor, and a 13-kWh battery pack.
Total system output stands at 245 PS (242 hp), with the all-electric range promising up to 31 miles (50 km) of zero-emissions driving on a full charge as per the official WLTP rating. As far as performance is concerned, the Q3 duo will reach 62 mph (100 kph) from a standstill in 7.3 seconds and top speeds of 87 mph (140 kph) or 130 mph (209 kph) in EV or hybrid modes, respectively.
After the company bestowed some CNG power on the A3 Sportback and decided the 2021 SQ5 manufactured in Mexico should come to Europe with a diesel under the hood, it’s now ready to introduce the first-ever PHEV powertrain for the Q3 and Q3 Sportback crossovers.
In Audi’s usual way of messing up the naming scheme, they’re called the Q3 45 TFSI e and Q3 Sportback 45 TFSI e – anyone who doesn’t pay attention will easily miss the lowercase “e” denoting the plug-in hybrid option. Anyways, that doesn’t matter that much when compared to the juicier technical details.
The eighth model line of the brand’s expanding TFSI e family has been announced for the UK market first, and Audi expects it to become available for ordering next spring – although pricing details are still being withheld for a little while longer.
Both the regular Q3 and the coupe-like Q3 Sportback will arrive in S line, Black Edition, and Vorsprung trims while the base Technik grade is only available for the former model. Regardless of the selection, customers will receive an electrified powertrain consisting of a 1.4-liter TFSI gasoline engine (150 PS / 148 hp), an 85-kW (114 hp) electric motor, and a 13-kWh battery pack.
Total system output stands at 245 PS (242 hp), with the all-electric range promising up to 31 miles (50 km) of zero-emissions driving on a full charge as per the official WLTP rating. As far as performance is concerned, the Q3 duo will reach 62 mph (100 kph) from a standstill in 7.3 seconds and top speeds of 87 mph (140 kph) or 130 mph (209 kph) in EV or hybrid modes, respectively.
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