Audi reveals the new Q4 Sportback e-tron concept

Pure SUV or Sportback SUV with a dash of coupe extract? Audi Q3 and e-tron customers are already accustomed to choosing which of these silhouettes suits them best, and the unveiling of the new Q4 Sportback e-tron concept means the same dilemma will also soon face fans of the brand's first fully electric compact SUV.

The new Sportback study lines up alongside the Q4 e-tron concept, one of the leading lights of the 2019 Geneva Motor Show, and like its sister car is scheduled to enter series production in the near future as the seventh fully electrified Audi in the portfolio.

The two Q4 e-tron concepts are notable as the first Audi models to be built on the Volkswagen Group's Modular Electric platform, which will provide the foundations for numerous electric vehicles from the compact class upwards in the future.

Their measurements are almost identical - they share the same 1,900mm width and 2,770mm wheelbase, but at 4,600mm in length and 1,600mm in height the Sportback is fractionally longer and lower, with just one centimetre separating the duo in each dimension.

The two concept cars are also twins in technological terms, and give a clear indication of the direction Audi engineers are taking for the powertrain of 'performance versions' of the series production model. Two electric motors mobilise 302bhp of system output which is sensitively handled via quattro all-wheel-drive as is typical for Audi. Thanks to excellent traction, both versions of the Q4 accelerate from zero to 100km/h in just 6.3 seconds and are restricted to a top speed of 179km/h.

Spanning almost the entire length of the underbody area, the large battery that brings the Q4 Sportback e-tron concept to life has a capacity of 82kWh, giving a Worldwide harmonised Light vehicle Test Procedure (WLTP) certified range of up to 449km that sets a new benchmark in this class. Versions with rear-wheel drive will push on even further, covering a range of up to 499km based on WLTP test data.

The brand with the four rings launched its electric offensive with the world premiere of the all-electric Audi e-tron SUV in September 2018.

By 2025, Audi will offer more than 20 models with all-electric drive in the most important markets worldwide and achieve roughly 40% of its sales with electrified models. The SUVs within this portfolio include the e-tron and the e-tron Sportback. In addition, there will be a range of models with classic body layout such as Avant and Sportback. The range will cover every relevant market segment from the compact class to the luxury class.