Audi E-Tron News

Why Audi says loyalty is particularly important in Australia, as it leaps back up the sales charts to challenge BMW and Mercedes-Benz.

At long last, Audi has revealed pricing and spec for its much anticipated Q4 e-tron SUV.The fully electric mid-sizer will arrive in a total of four versions in Australia, across two spec levels and two body styles.Importantly, the entry-grade Q4 45 e-tron in both SUV and coupe ‘Sportback’ body style will start from $88,300 before on-road costs, allowing it to slip just under the Luxury Car Tax threshold for zero emissions vehicles, which currently hovers at $89,332. Anything with a price above this attracts a 33 per cent LCT charge for every dollar over the threshold.As a result, the higher variant, the Q4 55 e-tron wears a price-tag of $108,500 for the SUV body, or $109,500 for the ‘Sportback’ coupe body-style.The 45 variants are rear-wheel drive, able to put out a max of 210kW/545Nm allowing a 0-100km/h sprint time of 6.7 seconds.Alternatively, the higher-grade 55 e-tron quattro adds a second motor on the front axle, for total combined outputs of 250kW/679Nm. This variant can sprint from 0-100km/h in a claimed 5.4 seconds.Both variants have a 82kWh battery (77kWh of which is usable) with range figures yet to be calculated for Australian-delivered cars. The 45 variant can charge at a maximum rate of 135kW on DC, while the top-spec 55 can charge at a rate of 175kW, both of which should allow competitive charging times. Overseas specifications have models with this battery also capable of charging at 11kW on AC.Confirmed standard equipment on the base car includes LED headlights, an electric tailgate, the brand’s signature ‘virtual cockpit’ digital instrument cluster, synthetic leather interior trim, heated front seats, and tri-zone climate control.The 55 meanwhile upgrades the standard gear to include matrix LED headlights with selectable pattern signatures, an S-Line exterior styling pack, a sportier ‘progressive’ steering tune, sport front seats with S branding, an upgraded version of Virtual Cockpit, and ambient LED interior lighting with multiple colour choices.The Q4 e-tron will be the debut product for the selectable LED pattern signatures, as well as an augmented reality head-up display in Audi’s range. Further detailed specifications will be revealed closer to the Q4 e-tron’s launch.As for cargo capacity, expect 520-litres of boot space in the SUV version and 535L in the Sportback, expanding to 1490L or 1460L with the second row folded for each variant respectively.The brand confirms the Q4 e-tron is set to be on-sale in Australia some time in the first half of 2024. At which time it will compete with the Mercedes-Benz EQB (from $87,734), BMW iX1 (from $78,900), and the Tesla Model Y (from $65,400).Stay tuned for the detailed specs and range figures closer to the Q4 e-tron’s 2024 arrival. 

Will Audi finally be able to play catch-up to Mercedes and BMW with its electric SUVs in 2024?

Audi Australia’s refreshed and re-badged e-tron electric SUV has increased both its driving range and price, with the updated model is set to touch down in local showrooms before the end of the year.

Audi's next vehicle platform will make its debut underneath the incoming Q6 e-tron SUV, opening the floodgates to a raft of new Audis which will consist of at least half electric cars.

Confused about what's going on with the Audi e-tron? Don't be, it's all part of the plan, according to Audi Australia.

At last, it seems a car-maker has realised just how silly it is to have an entirely different brand name for its electric car line-up. Yes, Mercedes-Benz sounds as though it's going to drop its EQ brand name for its EVs, because it’s all going electric, right? So what’s the point? Now we just have to wait for all the other car manufacturers to realise that it was all a big mistake.Yep, last week I wrote a story about how Mercedes-Benz was rumoured to be planning to axe its EQ sub-brand name.Currently, Mercedes-Benz uses EQ to denote an electric vehicle in its line-up. There’s the EQB which is an electric version of the GLB, the EQE which is an electric E-Class, and so on. Well, a Reuters report questioned Mercedes-Benz over the rumours to which the car maker responded with this statement:“With the goal of our parent Mercedes-Benz becoming fully electric by the end of the decade, we will adapt the positioning of the vehicles and thus the use of the brand in line with the times, but it is too early for details on this at the moment.”Sounds very much like the bosses at Benz have realised the whole EQ thing was not a very good idea. An electric E-Class in the future will be an E-Class, as there won’t be a combustion engine version.So what about the rest of the carmakers who have also gone down the same dead-end street?I’m looking at you Hyundai with your Ioniq brand - your Ioniq 5 and Ioniq 6. Great cars, but why not just use your existing nameplates such as i30 and Tucson and Santa Fe? Are you going to throw those in the bin?And Volkswagen. You’re doing it, too. There’s the ID.3 which is obviously being lined up to replace the Golf. The Golf, which celebrates its 50th anniversary next year. Nice birthday present. You're old, get out. Word is, Volkswagen will keep the Golf name for that petrol car only for as long as it exists and the same goes for Polo, Tiguan, Passat and the rest. You can get sentimental about a 2009 Golf GTI, but will anybody be looking back on their ID.3 the same way? And Kia with your imaginatively named EV6 and EV9. I’m being sarcastic, Kia. Come on, these aren’t phones or computers we're talking about. Sure, Carnival probably isn't the best name and neither is Stonic, nor Seltos or Sportage and what was going on with Pro_ceed GT? But that’s beside the point. When it comes to names give me a Sportage Electric over an EV6 any day.BMW your names have always been extremely methodical and read like a list of ammunition supplies. When you did try to start bringing in actual words you messed it all up with things like Gran Coupe, but at least your electric names aren’t completely ridiculous. Then iX, the i4, the i7 -  they make sense even if the whole ‘i’ thing is as out of date as an iPod.And Audi. Don’t even get me started on e-tron.Why do we have these EV sub brands when the whole car industry is going to go electric anyway? Well, it could be because vehicle development plans can stretch decades ahead. They need to create a name separate to the current line-up as the new electric vehicles will be on entirely different platforms, so they are essentially totally different cars.Car-makers could also be protecting their breadwinning petrol and diesel models too, from the potential failure of electric models by keeping them in separate ‘baskets’ until the EV models start to prove themselves and pay their way.These electric sub-brands could be being used as testing labs until the technology, the charging, the batteries and the cars are good enough to wear the regular nameplates?So what’s going to happen? Are we going to go through a whole series of Final Edition i30s and Farewell Special Golfs, or will car companies see the light like Mercedes-Benz it seems and drop the electric sub-brand name thing altogether?Well, it will come down to money. If the car company feels that losing a loved nameplate is detrimental in how customers view and connect with the brand, and especially if the action significantly affects sales, then you’ll probably see the name stay… or return.Imagine the fanfare (and the sales) around bringing back the Golf nameplate after everybody thought it was long gone.Perhaps that’s been the plan all along…

Audi's hybrid push is finally here, kicking off with the popular Q5 mid-size SUV.

Say what you will about Tesla - and I’m sure many of you will in the comments section - but the American brand was unquestionably the catalyst for the current electric car boom in the car industry.

Audi's first full battery electric vehicle, the e-tron SUV, is changing names and will adopt the Q8 moniker as part of its mid-life update.Audi issued a shadowy teaser image confirming the updated EV will be revealed later this week.The German carmaker's