Ingolstadt, Germany - Audi is promising to introduce 20 all-electric cars by the middle of this decade, and one of the most popular among these is likely to be the Q4 e-tron SUV.
Audi already previewed the ‘normal bodied’ version of the upcoming Q4 e-tron with a concept car released last year, and now the German automaker is showing us how the coupe-inspired version will look.
With its sloping tailgate and bulging boot spoiler, the Q4 Sportback e-tron concept will aim to lure buyers from similarly positioned electric SUVs like the Ford Mustang Mach E and Tesla Model Y.
The new Audi Q4 e-tron and its Sportback variant will hit the scene in 2021. They’re the first Audi models to be built around Volkswagen’s MEB modular architecture for battery cars, which also underpins the ID.3 hatch and upcoming ID.4 crossover among other VW products.
The concept cars also show the direction that the Q4 e-tron models will take in terms of powertrain tech, with Audi mentioning a twin-motor all-wheel drive set-up with a system output of 225kW. According to Audi, both Q4 e-tron concepts accelerate from 0-100km/h in 6.3 seconds.
Audi Q4 e-tron and Q4 Sportback e-tron concepts side by side.
Feeding the powertrain is an 82 kilowatt hour battery, integrated in the chassis, and offering a range of up to 449km in the case of the AWD model, while single-engine, rear-driven variants could offer a range of just under 500km on the WLTP cycle.
The Q4’s cabin takes a sustainable approach, with the floor covering made from recycled materials and a multi-layer paint finish replacing the usual chrome-plated metal garnishes found throughout the cabin. Drivers are assisted by a large head-up display unit with an augmented reality function that can superimpose important graphic information directly onto the road ahead.
“With the Q4 e-tron concepts we are outlining our plans to cascade e-tron technology into the compact SUV class, and I think these studies clearly show that we will be downsizing without in any way downgrading,” says Audi UK Director Andrew Doyle.
“I have no doubt that they will encourage wider acceptance of the benefits of electric driving, with the Audi e-tron range.”
