Audi E-Tron, This new luxury EV is ready to take charge
AUDI’S NEW ELECTRIC SUV, the E-Tron, has arrived, and early indications are that it could be a strong competitor in the small but growing luxury electric SUV category. Audi E-Tron, This new luxury EV is ready to take charge. SUV category. As such, it joins the Jaguar I-Pace (p. 33) and Tesla Model X, and it will soon get new competition from BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Porsche, among others.
This Audi seats five adults and gets an Environmental Protection Agency-estimated 204 miles of range from a fully charged battery. We’re just putting in its break-in miles before we subject it to our usual regimen of tests. These are our first impressions.
WHAT WE LIKE … SO FAR
A high-quality interior is to be expected at the E-Tron’s hefty price, but our testers particularly appreciate how luxurious this electric Audi is. Once the E-Tron is moving, drivers get smooth and effortless power on demand, at any speed. The ride absorbs bumps well. In combination with the incredibly quiet cabin and supportive front seats, our testers revelled in the comfortable driving experience.
The controls are very similar to those in the Audi A8 sedan we recently bought and tested. It took some practice, but we got comfortable with the two-screen interface and its dedicated screen for the climate system. In addition, the haptic feedback—the soft pulse on a driver’s fingertip when pressing a button, which mimics the feel of a physical button—helps drivers feel confident that they’ve actually completed a task.
EVs have a lot of power and deliver it right away, so their tires often spin too fast to gain traction. But standard allwheel drive does a lot to tame the E-Tron’s electric torque. FCW, AEB, and BSW come standard, too.
WHAT WE DON’T
The E-Tron’s biggest drawback is its 204-mile range, which pales in comparison to similarly priced models from Tesla (p. 31)—and even affordable EVs from Chevrolet, Hyundai, Kia, and Nissan. It’s fine for daily commuting, but a longer road trip will require multiple stops at public charging stations.
As is the case with other EVs that have large batteries, charging times are very long. When the 95-kilowatthour battery is down to about 15 percent, it has taken about 12 hours to replenish on a 240-volt connector. The powered charging door is needlessly complicated. Drivers must hit an unmarked button next to the cover to open it. They have to hit the button again to unlock the hose once charging is complete. It’s kind of cool that it’s powered, but it doesn’t need to be, and it may wind up breaking over time.
Unlike certain other EVs we’ve recently tested, the E-Tron doesn’t lunge off from a stop; it has a more leisurely rollout. That’s appropriate for a luxury vehicle, but drivers should be aware of it if they try to jump into a line of traffic or merge from a stop. The gear selector is a fairly large toggle switch that drivers must move forward or back to select Reverse or Drive. It’s not intuitive at first, and the button to place the SUV in Park sits like a trigger on the side of the toggle. A small rear window and wide front pillars hurt visibility.
THE BOTTOM LINE
The E-Tron has an air of maturity that exudes quality— probably because it comes from an established luxury automaker. On the other hand, its appearance doesn’t scream “I’m electric!” That may appeal to buyers who want batteries with a side of understatement, but it could also fail to draw in EV enthusiasts.
It’s early yet, but so far our testers have liked what they’ve experienced with the E-Tron. The combination of luxury touches, a smooth powertrain, intuitive controls, and a quiet, comfortable ride makes this a strong competitor.
Sources:
https://ride.tech/best-rides-and-more/2019-audi-e-tron-electric-suv-review/
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