Audi e-tron S Sportback

Durrah recently took the Audi e-tron S Sportback for a leisurely spin around Dubai to put this electric model through its paces. We regularly test drive the most exciting and innovative cars on the market, ranging from SUVs to sporty convertibles, so believe us when we say going green doesn’t mean compromising on power, performance, or driving pleasure.

This model and its variant, the e-tron S, both have fully electric drive and use three electric motors, two of which operate on the rear axle. Of course, that’s not the frst thing that comes to mind when looking at this vehicle. It makes an immediate impression with its sleek dimensions, contoured angles, and aggressive front grille, all hinting at the marque’s progressive design.

The design goes hand in hand with impressive aerodynamics, based on new technologies. With the virtual exterior mirrors – cameras that transmit images to OLED displays in the interior – the drag coeffcients are just 0.26 for the Audi e-tron S Sportback and 0.28 for the Audi e-tron S. We enjoyed this helpful feature, which improves visibility and enhances safety by allowing the driver to see behind the vehicle at a glance.

The fow-optimized wheel arch trims at the front are a global innovation in large-scale vehicle construction. The narrow horizontal strips in the cutouts guide the airstream cleanly around the wheels, encapsulating interfering turbulence in the wheel arches, resulting in a smoother ride.

The interior is equally impressive. A large arc connects the displays of the optional virtual external mirrors with the bonnet above the Audi virtual cockpit. The instrument panel is driver-oriented and user-friendly, allowing easy access that doesn’t distract you from the road. Comfortable, adjustable sports seats come as standard, which makes fnding the most comfortable driving position a breeze. We found this incredibly useful while stuck in traffc around the Trade Centre Roundabout.

In terms of infotainment, the Audi e-tron S Sportback comes equipped with a digital MMI touch response control system with two large central displays. It’s all easy to use, and there’s little to no learning curve if you have experience with recent Audi products. The infotainment system is simple to operate and has clearly labelled shortcuts, good graphics and animations, and a range of standard features.

There also are some innovative assistance systems that make driving safer and more enjoyable. The standard effciency assist works in conjunction with the adaptive cruise control, the navigation system, and the camera-based recognition of traffc signs, to regulate activity. The preselected speed adapts to road conditions by itself, for example, the topography of the route, speed limits, and the traffc ahead. audi.com

The driving experience is everything you would expect from Audi, and the electric motors ensure you have all the power you need when you need it. Simply select the S gear and hit the accelerator and this model jumps smoothly from 0 to 100 km/h in just 4.5 seconds with almost no sound. In this mode, you get full boost performance for eight seconds at a time, an output of 370 kW and 973 Nm of torque. In D gear, you can expect 320 kW of power and 808 Nm of torque.

Range is often a concern among those who have never driven an electric vehicle before. It needn’t be, especially with this model, which has a battery with a gross energy capacity of 95 kWh, of which 91 percent (86 kWh) is usable. With one charge, the Audi e-tron S and the Audi e-tron S Sportback achieve ranges of up to 360 km and 365 km, respectively.

With its sporty design, impressive energy effciency, and smooth handling, this model is a fne example of how much fun going electric can be.