Audi is going to add to the global electric vehicle offering in 2018 with the release of an all-electric SUV.
The concept for Audi electric e-tron Sportback vehicle was unveiled at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 2015. However, Audi has now opened up pre-orders for buyers in Norway.
Althought the final price for the Audi electric vehicle is yet to be confirmed, the price to reserve one has been set at kr 20,000 or roughly US$2,400.
“Our first electric model is perfectly suited for the Norwegian market, with both quattro all-wheel drive, plenty of interior space, high ground clearance and not least long range. This may be a perfect car number one for many Norwegian households,” said Harald Edvardsen-Eibak, director of Audi in Norway.
The timing of the long range SUV is about perfect according to Audi, as between today and 2018 there will be a lot of new fast charging infrastructure projects to support the vehicle.
The size of the new Audi electric SUV is likely to slot between the Q5 and Q7, but not that it will carry the Q6 badge (which seems to be reserved for a separate model).
Audi sales and marketing boss, Dietmar Voggenreiter, has also confirmed that the Audi SUV to share some solutions with the upcoming Porsche Mission E.
Audi electric SUV specifications
As far as its specifications, the e-tron SUV boasts a 499-km (310-mile) range on a single charge of its 95 kWh battery, which the company has said will be able to be fully charged in 50 minutes. By comparison, the Tesla’s Model X SUV has a 100 kWh battery capable of 465-km (289-mile). In addition, Audi is considering adding an autonomous driving software to the SUV’s features.
The progress of the Audi e-tron Quattro concept is provided by the three electric motors. A front axle, while the other two driver rear axle. The power distribution between the three electric motors is the basis of e-tron quattro AWD.
The engine supplies a total of 320 kW (435 hp), but there is also a separate boost function that increases the power over shorter periods to a maximum of 370 kW (503 hp) and torque of over 800 Nm. The car can also reach 0-100 km/h in a blistering 4.6 seconds, while the top speed is regulated to 210 km/h. The car is 4.88 meters long, 1.93 meters wide and 1.54 meters high, meaning luggage space of up to 615 litres.
