The Audi e-tron SUV: The Complete Guide For India

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Electric Cars: The Basics

For those of you new to zero-emission electric driving, we recommend a read of the following articles:

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The Audi e-tron SUV

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Audi AG, a Bavaria (Germany) based luxury automotive manufacturer is a wholly owned subsidiary of Volkswagen AG, the Germany automotive group. Volkswagen AG is one of the leading automotive companies in the global electric vehicle (EV) industry. Volkswagen has committed to an investment up to Euro 30 billion by 2023. It aims to sell 3 million electric vehicles by 2025 and launch up to 70 new EV models over the next 10 years. Audi electric vehicles (EVs) include:

• Q4 e-tron
• Q4 e-tron Sportback
• e-tron
• e-tron Sportback
• e-tron S
• e-tron S Sportback
• e-tron GT
• RS e-tron GT
• Q4 Sportback e-tron

The Audi e-tron SUV was unveiled as a concept car in 2015 (quattro concept), at the Frankfurt Motor Show. The e-tron battery-electric vehicle (BEV) is the first mass-market zero-emission pure electric vehicle from the German automotive manufacturer. Deliveries of the EV commenced in 2019.

For those seeking an upmarket large family SUV with zero-tailpipe emissions and a familiar exterior styling, the all-electric Audi e-tron SUV is worth considering. The pure electric SUV is available in two EV battery sizes: 71.2 kWh and 95 kWh, with the larger battery size offering a marginally higher electric range.

The 71.2 kWh has a claimed zero-emission e-range up to 312 km, while the 95 kWh offers a range up to 375 km. Though the EV range is decent and suitable for most needs, it is not as impressive as some of the more recent BEV’s, that offer an electric range closer to 500 km.

Also, do keep in mind, that the real-world EV range will be lower than the quoted EV range, impacted by a number of factors. For the 71.2 kWh, a real-world range will be closer to 265 km, while for the larger EV battery, a real-world emission-free electric range will be closer to 320 km.

It is worth stressing that if the battery is ‘topped up’ on a regular basis, there will always be ample electric range available and charging times will be shorter. Also, a topping up strategy is better for the long-term maintenance of the EV battery. Audi offers a warranty up to 8 years or 160,000 km.

The EV offers DC charging up to 150 kW and can be charged from 5% to 80% in 30 minutes. The EV also offers an 11 kW AC onboard charger. Of course, most homes in India are powered by single-phase power supply and therefore we cannot take advantage of the three-phase onboard charger. Charging the EV at 7.4 kW will take up to 14 hours. For those that have access to 3-phase charging at home or workplace, the EV can be fully charged in 7 hours.

The EV is available in two drivetrain options, the e-tron 50 quattro and the e-tron 55 quattro. Despite the weight of the four-wheel drive electric SUV (2,565 kg), given the onboard EV battery, the performance is impressive. The higher specification, e-tron 55 can achieve 0-100 km/h in 5.7 seconds (maximum power: 664 Nm) and a 200 km/h top speed. The e-tron 50 can achieve 0-100 km/h in 6.8 seconds and has a 190 km/h top speed.

In terms of interior quality, equipment and technology, it reflects the premium price tag. As standard, the EV includes, the Audi intelligent MMI Navigation plus high-resolution touch displays and Audi virtual cockpit. There are also a host of driver assistance technologies as standard: 360-degree parking parking sensor, rear-view camera and lane departure warning.

In terms of practicality, given the placement of the EV battery on the floor, the boot space on offer is good (660 L). For passengers, the cabin is spacious with ample headroom and legroom, even for taller adults. Bottom-line, electric driving is good for the environment and the wallet!

The pure electric Audi SUV is available in India.

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PROS	CONS
Spacious family e-SUV with good boot size	Cheaper pure electric SUV are available
All-wheel drive as standard	EV range not as good as some rivals
DC charging up to 150 kW and 11 kW onboard charger as standard	Exterior stying may not be futuristic enough for some consumers

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The All-Electric Audi e-tron SUV (credit: Audi)

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At A Glance
EV Type:	Battery-Electric Vehicle (BEV)
Vehicle Type:	SUV
Engine:	Electric
Available In India:	Yes

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Trims (2 Options)
Audi e-tron 50 quattro (from Rs 1.00 Crore)
Audi e-tron 55 quattro(from Rs 1.18 Crore)

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EV Battery & Emissions
EV Battery Type:	Lithium-ion
EV Battery Capacity:	Available in two battery sizes: 71.2 kWh/ 95 kWh
Charging:	Up to 150 kW DC charging (5%-80%: 30 mins). Onboard charger: 11 kW AC (0%-100%: 7 hrs)
Charge Port:	Type 2
EV Cable Type:	Type 2
Tailpipe Emissions:	0g (CO2/km)
Battery Warranty:	8 years or 160,000 km

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Charging Times (Overview)
Slow charging AC (3 kW – 3.6 kW):	6 – 12 hours (dependent on size of EV battery & SOC)
Fast charging AC (7 kW – 22 kW):	3 – 8 hours (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC)
Rapid charging AC (43 kW):	0-80%: 20 mins to 60 mins (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC)
Rapid charging DC (50 kW+):	0-80%: 20 mins to 60 mins (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC)
Ultra rapid charging DC (150 kW+):	0-80% : 20 mins to 40 mins (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC)
Tesla Supercharger (120 kW – 250 kW):	0-80%: up to 25 mins (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC)

• Note 1: SoC: state of charge

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Dimensions
Height (mm):	1632
Width (mm):	2192
Length (mm):	4901
Wheelbase (mm):	2928
Turning Circle (m):	12.2
Boot Space (L):	660

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e-tron 50 quattro
EV Battery Capacity:	71.2 kWh
Pure Electric Range (WLTP):	312 km
Electric Energy Consumption (kWh/100km):	23.6
Charging:	120 kW DC charging (5%-80%: 30 mins). Onboard charger: 11 kW AC (0%-100%: 7 hrs)
Top Speed:	190 km/h
0-100 km/h:	6.8 seconds
Drive:	All-wheel drive (AWD)
Electric Motor (kW):	230
Max Power (PS):	313
Torque (Nm):	540
Transmission:	Automatic
Seats:	5
Doors:	5
Unladen Weight (kg):	2,445
Colours:	8
NCAP Safety Rating:	Five-Star

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e-tron 55 quattro
EV Battery Capacity:	95 kWh
Pure Electric Range (WLTP):	375 km
Electric Energy Consumption (kWh/100km):	25.7
Charging:	150 kW DC charging (5%-80%: 30 mins). Onboard charger: 11 kW AC (0%-100%: 9.25 hrs)
Top Speed:	200 km/h
0-100 km/h:	5.7 seconds
Drive:	All-wheel drive (AWD)
Electric Motor (kW):	300
Max Power (PS):	408
Torque (Nm):	664
Transmission:	Automatic
Seats:	5
Doors:	5
Unladen Weight (kg):	2,565
Colours:	8
NCAP Safety Rating:	Five-Star

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India Electric Vehicle (EV) Market

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India, like many other countries, is well positioned to benefit from the shift to zero-tailpipe emission electric driving. Road transportation is a major contributor to air pollution (over 30%), choking our towns, cities and villages across India. Diesel vehicles, in particular, diesel trucks and diesel buses, are significant sources for tailpipe emissions. But given the rise in the standard of living, since liberalisation, the demand for privately owned passenger cars has increased at an unprecedented pace, further worsening the air quality. India has more than 3 crores (30 million) cars releasing tailpipe emissions on its roads!

Though we have seen some improvements in air quality during the ongoing pandemic (as a result of lower vehicle traffic), India’s shift to electric driving will be key in achieving long-term higher air quality. Of course, apart from EVs, the continued development of green and renewable energy infrastructure will be key in achieving lower long-term air pollution. India has already demonstrated global leadership in regards to large-scale solar and wind projects! Hopefully, India will replicate the success with zero-emission electric vehicles.

Despite recent announcements and support from local and national government agencies in India, the EV market is still at a nascent stage, well, at least in terms of electric cars and electric vans. Two-wheel electric scooters and three-wheel electric rickshaws (e-rickshaws) have demonstrated a strong uptake, and India is poised to become a global leader in electric scooters and electric rickshaws (e-tuk). In fact, the ubiquitous e-rickshaw commands an impressive 83% of the Indian electric vehicle market. India currently has over 15 lakhs (1.5 million) e-rickshaws, with each EV playing a role in reducing tailpipe emissions on our roads in India.

Sales of passenger electric cars is still at an early stage. In FY2021, though the market witnessed a growth of nearly 110% from the previous year, the absolute volume of cars sold was only 5,905 electric cars. Currently there are less that 15 pure electric car models available on sale in India.

Tata Motors, the biggest automotive manufacturer in India has launched the Tata Nexon electric SUV. Mahindra Electric, another leading Indian automotive manufacturer, has also launched a number of plug-in electric vehicles (EVs), to include, the Mahindra eVerito electric car, Mahindra eSupro electric van and Mahindra e2o Plus compact electric car. International manufacturers, like UK based MG Motors, have also launched the MG ZS electric SUV in India. Also available are the all-electric Jaguar I-PACE SUV and the Hyundai Kona electric SUV.

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Global Electric Vehicle (EV) Market

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Battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), more commonly referred to simply as, electric vehicles (EVs) or as plug-in electric cars, have come a long way over the past decade and certainly a long way over the past 100 years.

Electric vehicles came into prominence in the early 1900’s, a time when horse-drawn carriages were the primary mode of transportation.  Archived black and white photographs from that period show famous avenues like Madison Avenue in New York city filled with horse-drawn carriages.  In stark contrast, a similar photograph taken a decade later of Madison Avenue showed not a single horse-drawn carriage.  Instead the avenue was filled with motor vehicles, a new invention at that time. 

We are now witnessing a similar fundamental shift in road transportation, as polluting internal combustion engines (ICE) petrol and diesel vehicles are being replaced by low-emission and zero-emission electric vehicles. In countries like the United Kingdom, a leader in e-mobility, we can expect a comprehensive replacement of petrol and diesel vehicles by 2030 (UK will ban the sale of new ICE cars in 2030). The UK is not the only country that has a vision of a mass transition to zero-tailpipe emission electric cars.

Since 2011, the global electric vehicle (EV) market has increased at a year-over-year growth rate of over 50%. In 2020, according to the Global EV Outlook 2021 report, the global stock of electric vehicles (EVs) had surpassed 10 million units . In 2015, the Global stock was just over 1 million units. In 2020, Europe accounted for the largest share of new car registrations of EVs (1.4 million registered electric vehicles), followed by China (1.2 million electric vehicles). In Europe, countries like Norway, Iceland and Sweden continue to show strong leadership in the transition to electric driving. In Norway more than 75% of new cars are electric, followed by 50% in Iceland and 30% in Sweden.

However, this is not just a western phenomenon. A number of countries across the world have announced their support for electric cars, to include India. Pure electric cars are now common sightings in a number of global markets, and EV automotive manufacturers, like California based Tesla Motors are now household brands.

Traditional automotive manufactures have also shown significant commitment to the migration to electric engines, to include Volvo Cars, the Volkswagen Group, Renault, Nissan, Peugeot, Hyundai, Mercedes, Land Rover and many more. Forecast for the sale of EVs suggest up to 30 million electric vehicles to be sold before the end of the current decade.

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While e-zoomed uses reasonable efforts to provide accurate and up-to-date information, some of the information provided is gathered from third parties and has not been independently verified by e-zoomed. While the information from the third party sources is believed to be reliable, no warranty, express or implied, is made by e-zoomed regarding the accuracy, adequacy, completeness, legality, reliability or usefulness of any information. This disclaimer applies to both isolated and aggregate uses of this information.

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