The much-awaited Audi e-tron SUV will be open for reservations starting on September 17, 2018. If you want to be one of the first owners of the German carmaker’s very first fully electric car, you better block your calendar and keep your credit card ready.
How much will the Audi e-tron Quattro cost?
Earlier this year Audi revealed the price in Germany – €80,000, or about USD 93,500 (today’s exchange rate.), and is expected to announce US prices when reservations open up. We don’t expect the price to be very different, even though Audi originally said that the form and size of the e-tron will be between the Q5 and Q7, which have starting MSRPs of $41,000 and $49,000. Those prices aren’t indicative of a first-time EV, so it’ll probably be a lot closer to the German price. Of course, the car will be eligible for the $7,500 federal tax credit in the United States, and some customers will also be eligible for state incentives. Reservation fee is $1,000, fully refundable.
What are the key features?
It’s an EV, so let’s look at the battery related features first.
The Audi e-tron will have a 95 kWh battery that can take an 80% charge in about 30 minutes. It will be compatible with 150 kW high-speed DC charging at public charging stations. You can charge it overnight (under 10 hours) at home with a 9.6 kW AC charger. A full charge should technically give you a 310 mile range, but real-life range will likely be under 300 miles. Actual range will also be influenced by regeneration, a technology that EVs use to capture braking power and recycle it to the battery. Audi says that its “one-of-a-kind regeneration system… helps the e-tron recapture energy from 90% of braking applications and is designed to contribute up to 30% of the vehicle’s range.”
In terms of design, the classic Audi element is very much there, but to give the passengers an ever quieter experience – because of the lack of engine noise – the engineers have designed the e-tron with special sealing, double-pane windows and additional soundproofing elements.
The AWD drivetrain is made up of two motors that provide instant torque like any EV, yet “exceptional control and confidence in a variety of driving conditions,” says Audi. By nature of its design, the low-placed and flat battery pack, which is a heavy component, will give the vehicle a much lower center of gravity. That means better control than a typical ICE vehicle.
On the connectivity front, the Audi mobile app for Android and iOS will give you the ability to monitor battery levels while charging. It also lets you pre-cool or pre-heat the car remotely, and Audi promises a ton of settings personalizations using the app.
The all-electric Audi e-tron quattro will be made at the new Brussels factory Audi has had specially designed for Battery Electric Vehicles, or BEVs.
Don’t forget: Reservations open September 17, 2018 | Deposit of $1,000 | Delivery in “Early 2019”
