Audi has unveiled a Sportback version of the new Q4 E-Tron, an SUV that was unveiled at March 2019’s Geneva Motor Show and will go on sale shortly. As night follows day, so does Sportback follow an Audi Q model, and the Q4 Sportback concept here is basically the car that will go on sale at the end of 2021.
As is now the norm with these Sportback things the only difference is from the C-pillars backwards, where the Q4 Sportback trades boot area and rear headspace for a more ‘attractive’ and ‘coupe-like’ fastback tailgate. Note the air quotes.
In fairness, as these things go the Q4 Sportback looks decent – “these things” including such visually challenging coupe-SUVs as the Mercedes GLC Coupe, the BMW X4 and the Porsche Cayenne Coupe…although the last of those is arguably the most aesthetically resolved.
The Q4 will be the first production Audi model to sit on the Volkswagen Group’s new ‘MEB’ platform, which is specifically developed for electric drivetrains and will underpin stuff like the new Cupra el-Born and the whole family of Volkswagen I.D. models. That means it won’t be available with traditional internal combustion powertrains; for an Audi SUV of the coupe persuasion with a 2.0-litre TDI, say, buyers can look to the Q3 Sportback.
When it goes on sale at the start of 2021 the Q4 Sportback E-Tron will have a claimed range of 279 miles from an 82kWh battery pack, with 310 miles possible from “versions with rear-wheel drive,” according to Audi. It can be charged at a 125kW rate too, meaning 0-80% in just 30 minutes. Clearly, a standard 7kW home wall box will take significantly longer, though Audi doesn’t say how long that will be. Figure on 8-10 hours.
Power comes from two electric motors, one placed on the front axle and one on the rear, with the rear one developing 150kW (201bhp) and the front 75kW (101bhp), which is where the quattro four-wheel drive comes from; Audi’s statement about rear-wheel drive suggests that there’ll be a cheaper version without the front motor at some stage.
The system output of the twin motor version is 225kW (302bhp), with 0-62mph coming up in just 6.3 seconds. Top speed is 111mph, which is kept down because engineering the drivetrain for a higher top speed would be to the detriment of overall efficiency.
The interior of the production Q4 E-Tron is a more futuristic affair than Audi’s standard tri-screen setup, albeit it only uses two display, dispensing with the lower one in favour of a new EV-specific centre console. For ergonomic reasons it retains physical buttons for the air con controls.
Keyword: Audi Q4 E-Tron Sportback electric ‘coupe’ due in 2021