Hit the road in Audi’s Q4 sportback

ELECTRIFYING THE ROADS

Get ready to hit the streets in Audi’s latest Q4 Sportback e-Tron concept

Coupé enthusiasts will be giddy with delight when they meet the new Audi Q4 Sportback e-Tron concept. The name sounds familiar because the brand first unveiled the standard Q4 e-Tron concept back in March 2019 at the Geneva Motor Show.

While technically identical, the latest version of this sleek SUV Coupé packs a sleek and sporty punch. With both models heading into production in 2021, potential buyers have their choice between two distinct flavours of the 302-hp pure-electric AWD small SUV.

The Q4 e-Tron and Q4 Sportback e-Tron are very much twinning with different personalities. The new 181-in (460-cm)long Sportback gains an indiscernible centimeter (0.4 in) of length while losing a centimeter of height and riding on the same 109-in (277-cm) wheelbase. The Sportback’s arched roofline drops back fastback-style into the tautened rear-end with a spoiler, adding a sportier presence.

Both Q4’s are based on VW’s MEB modular electrification platform and carry 82 kWh of battery power mounted low between the axles. In ranging-topping Quattro all-wheel-drive form, this battery runs the dual motors for up to an estimated 279 miles (450 km)—the benchmark in its class. Buyers who opt for the front motor instead of rear-wheel drive can expect up to 310 miles (500 km). The Sportback’s downward slope to the back doesn’t gain improvements when it comes to speed, as both Q4 Quattro e-Tron variants bring the same 6.3-second 0-62 mph (100 km/h) and 112-mph (180-km/h) top speed figures.

Under regular driving conditions, the e-tron quattro system relies on its 201-hp synchronous rear motor for efficient rearbiased power. When the driver needs more of a power boost, control over higher-speed cornering, or when the vehicle predicts traction loss, the system feeds off the 101-hp front motor to channel more torque upfront.

Inside, Audi takes advantage of the increased space left by the decentralized powertrain and absence of a transmission tunnel. While light, warm colours dominate the upper section of the interior, the dark carpet in the floor section provides a contrast. The headlining, the window pillars, and the upper section of the door rail and dash panel are fitted with white and beige microfiber textiles. The front cabin follows the design of the original Q4 e-Tron concept with its angled-in 12.3-in central infotainment screen and a digital cockpit that subtly follows the shape of the single-frame grille on the front of the car. A large-format head-up display adds extra information and augmented reality capability while steering wheel touch panels and a hovering climate control pad to the right add a layer of physical control.

Audi will launch the Q4 Sportback e-tron in 2021 as the seventh in an electric vehicle offensive that began in 2018 with the larger e-tron SUV. By 2025, the marque will offer more than 20 automobiles with all-electric drive, achieving roughly 40 per cent of its sales with electrified models.