udiAudi is taking wider aim at the growing market for electric vehicles with two new compact EVs: the Q4 E-Tron and the Q4 Sportback E-Tron. Revealed on Wednesday and due out later this year, the two electric SUVs are far more affordable than the flagship E-Tron.
First teased back in 2019, the Q4 e-tron and the Q4 Sportback are built for the small SUV category, their structural underpinnings based on the same modular electric drive system (MEB) platform as VW’s new ID.4. These vehicles are 4.59 meters long and 1.62 meters tall (essentially the same 63-inch height of the Mustang Mach-E) with a turning radius of 10.2 meters (five feet shorter than the Ford). It boasts a drag coefficient of 0.28 – 0.26 for the Sportback thanks to flatter coupe-style roof which is nearly equal to that of the Polestar 2. For the tape, the RS e-tron GT has a drag coeff of 0.24 and that thing is sigulargly designed to haul ass. As such, the Q4 appears to be designed far more for traversing heavy downtown traffic and highway hijinks than for barrelling down off-road trails.
And because they lack a central driveshaft, both versions offer ample storage and cabin space 24.8 liters of item storage in the cabin, the cupholder in each door can accommodate a liter of cola, and the trunk holds up to 1,490 liters of cargo capacity for the Q4 e-tron if you fold the back seats down. They’re also rated to tow up to 1,200 kilograms.
The Q4 and Sportback will be available in eight colors when they launch including a new “aurora violet” metallic swatch taken from Audi Sport. The company will also offer upgraded advanced and S line exterior lines in addition to the Q4’s basic exterior, which include contrasting color schemes for the lower body panels, chrome accents and the choice between 19-, 20- and 21-inch aluminum wheels. Audi’s offering an optional panorama glass sunroof as well.
The Q4 35 and Q4 40 will both be pure RWD with a single motor the only two Audi models in production besides the R8 V10 RWD to use rear wheel drive exclusively. The larger Q4 50 uses a pair of motors to achieve e-AWD.
The entry level Q4 35 is outfitted with a surprisingly tiny 52 kWh (net), 8-module battery pack. It outputs 125 kW (~167 HP), and hits 0 to 100 km/h in 9.0 seconds with a range of 211 – 216 miles (based on WLTP estimates). It can charge at 7.2 kW on AC or up to 100kW on DC.
The Q4 40 is the next step up at EUR 47,500 and the distinctions between it and the 35 are significant. For one thing, the 40 comes strapped with the larger 77 kWh, 12-module battery pack. It tops 100km/h in 8.5 seconds with a governed top speed of 160 km/h and boasts an estimated a 323 mile (520 km) range. On AC, the Q4 40 and 50 models should charge at 11kW and, while on a level 3 DC fast charger, hit a rate of 125 kW.
The top of the line, EUR 52,900 Q4 50 e-tron quattro uses the same 77 kWh battery as the 40 but its dual motors output 295 HP with 339 ft lb of torque. You’ll see a 0 – 100 km/h in a blistering 6.2 seconds with a top speed of 112 m/h and a full-charge range of 488 to 497 miles the Sportback version having the edge in distance in this case.
While the starting price is lower, buyers will have to pay extra if they want the most fanciful tech features that Audi is promising in the new Q4 electrics. The headliner is an augmented reality heads-up display system that Audi first showed off in March, which has a larger viewing area and more advanced (and animated) overlays than the typically static options found on many modern cars including navigation markers that “float” on the road ahead of the Q4.
There’s also an optional 11.6-inch touchscreen, the largest Audi’s ever put in one of its vehicles. The standard screen is the same 10.1-inch version found in Audi’s recent cars, but regardless of which main screen buyers choose, there will be a 10.25-inch driver display behind the steering wheel. Audi is also offering a Sonos sound system as an option which is a first for the speaker company.
Those who don’t want to pay extra will still get features like a wireless charging pad for their smartphones, and wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. Audi has also revamped the steering wheel in the new Q4s to include backlit touch surfaces and flat buttons for a sleeker look.
The Q4 E-Tron and Q4 Sportback E-Tron are the German automaker’s best chance yet at going truly big in the electric vehicle space. By leveraging Volkswagen’s more efficient and more cost-effective MEB platform, Audi is ready to make a far more compelling pitch with these new EVs one that will look all the more attractive as governments around the world continue to emphasize and incentivize a consumer shift to electric vehicles. It may still be far behind Tesla when it comes to total EV sales.
