The Audi e-tron isn't just your regular SUV, even if it's an everyday one. It'll sit five occupants proper and has a huge luggage space to boot like most SUVs, but it drives on a single gear.
From the eyes of a casual observer, the Audi e-tron will seem nothing more than an archetypal SUV.
The Audi e-tron is the first all-electric production-ready SUV that was recently launched in San Francisco. Aimed right at the heart of the premium market, Fermin Soneira Santos, Head of Product Marketing, Audi AG, said that this model is expected to sell in volumes and not just to a niche set of customers.
There's a lot more where that came from
The Audi e-tron is one of three fully-electric cars that the carmaker plans to introduce in the next couple of years, followed by the e-tron Sportback in late 2019 and the sporty e-tron GT in the year 2020. The latter will be making its way to the L.A. Motor Show in November later this year.
Back to Audi's electric star for now
But before we digress to the future, let's focus on the all-electric Audi e-tron SUV for a second here. At launch, it is equipped with two electric motors - one at the front axle and the other at the rear - and a 95kWh lithium-ion battery pack that's intelligently packed into 36 modules within the wheelbase that measures 2,280mm long and 1,630mm wide.
The car is capable of handling fast charging up to 150kW, which will allow the car to cover 80% of its battery life in just 30 minutes.
The e-tron looks and feels like a technical powerhouse, with clean-looking optional virtual external mirrors that will quite possibly make even the most particular driver drool with awe. Also advance-looking are the two high-resolution screens of 10.1-inch and 8.6-inch taking centre stage of the car.
Once you're done wiping the saliva off your chin, you'll be quite pleased to know that the car is capable of a total output of 300kW (402bhp) and 664Nm of twisting force from the word go. As such, you can expect hot-hatch century sprint capabilities from this biggish SUV. Nought to hundred is completed in just 5.7 seconds, which is even faster than the Golf GTI.
It's not just the form. It's functional
On the inside, you'll come to realise that it's not just about the technology and the design, but also the practicality and functionality that have been planned for the new electric car.
For starters, you have space. Ample of it. At 660 litres at the boot and 60 litres under the front hatch, the car will swallow a most of what you need it to. And with a wheelbase of 2,928mm and a flat rear floor, the Audi e-tron will fit three grown men behind with ample head and legroom.
The Audi e-tron is will be targeted at the premium buyers who are green, bold and well-heeled enough to pay for the car when it arrives in Singapore in the second half of next year.
