Audi e-tron GT quattro PRICE From £83,815 BATTERY 93 kWh twin motor POWER 469 bhp 0-62MPH 4.1 seconds RANGE Up to 298 miles STREAMING Wow – Kate Bush
Road Test
Audi’s e-tron GT quattro all-electric grand tourer has everything – apart from a class-leading battery range, says Jeremy Taylor
TOWN Like a new Beyoncé album, Audi has been through a
COUNTRY With enough space for five people and an extraordinarily
renaissance with e-tron, a range of all-electric models that will eventually dominate its entire fleet. The flagship e-tron GT may be silent but it’s a sound buy. Long, low and sleek, this four-door sports coupe is fitted with two powerful electric motors instead of an engine, giving the Audi four-wheel drive handling ability. It’s seriously quick and quite possibly the most stylish electric car on the road. The Audi’s stretched body also offers excellent front and rear legroom, while an enormous panoramic glass roof gives the impression of extra headroom. Elsewhere, the dashboard is functional and easy to use but oddly, nowhere near as avant-garde as an electric Volvo, or BMW. The central infotainment screen is modestly sized, while much of the switchgear is borrowed from conventional Audis. Around town, passengers benefit from smooth acceleration inside a whisper-quiet cabin. Choose the Efficiency drive mode and e-tron uses regenerative braking to top up the battery on the move. With sky-high fuel prices, you feel extra smug about economy too. Audi’s rapid charging system also allows drivers to top-up the 95 kWh battery with a 60-mile boost in just five minutes. However, as 270 kWh chargers are hard to find, most owners will likely leave the GT to power up overnight at home.
quiet cabin, the GT is a fantastic car for long distance touring. Well, it would be except the official range of 298 miles can’t compete with a Tesla Model S, or the best of BMW. In fact, real-world driving would suggest the GT is only good for 235 miles, so most drivers will be anxiously looking at their battery level after 200 miles. Remember, the Tesla travels 400 between charges. Even so, a Tesla can’t match Audi drive and handling qualities. Despite the weight of a battery pack, the steering is light and responsive. The GT can also be specified with four-wheel steering to make the car feel even more dynamic at speed, as well as easier to park. Oh, and if you miss the sound of a sporty exhaust, Audi also offer a noise generator to ween drivers off their combustion engine habit. The GT has plenty of performance to match the looks but, for even more shove, the £113,000 RS version has more powerful electric motors that cut the 0-62mph dash to a supercar-like 3.3 seconds (as well as reducing its range, though).
RATING: 4/5 HANDBAGS
RATING: 4/5 WELLIES
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