Audi India will venture into the luxury EV market space with the e-tron SUV, which is expected to launch here very soon
German luxury carmaker Audi is planning to launch the e-tron in the Indian market very soon. The electric SUV has already been listed on the company’s official Indian website, and the new model has started arriving at showrooms, which makes us believe that the e-tron would go on sale in our market in the coming weeks.
Audi e-tron will be available in both SUV and Sportback bodystyles in India, but the latter would arrive at a later date. Powering the e-tron are two electric motors – a 125 kW motor mounted on the front axle and a 140 kW motor mounted on the rear axle – effectively turning this into an AWD vehicle. The peak power and torque are rated at 408 PS and 664 Nm, respectively.
These are connected to a 95 kWh lithium-ion battery, which can be charged from 0 to 80 per cent in just 30 minutes using a DC fast charger. In a single charge, the e-tron can deliver a driving range of over 400 km. The performance is quite impressive too; the electric SUV can accelerate to 100 kmph from a standstill in just 5.7 seconds, and can reach a top speed of 200 kmph.
The vehicle will offer different driving modes, along with regenerative braking to improve the driving range. Other than that, the e-tron will come equipped with matrix LED headlamps (with integrated LED DRLs), LED taillights (with a single-piece design), a panoramic sunroof, machine-cut alloy wheels, a roof-mounted spoiler, a shark fin antenna, painted brake callipers, faux roof rails, etc.
The cabin of the Audi e-tron will offer a virtual cockpit, a dual-screen infotainment system, connected car tech, four-zone climate control, wireless smartphone charging, a multifunction steering wheel, a premium Bang & Olufsen audio system, ambient cabin lighting, etc.
The prices are yet to be revealed, but we expect the Audi e-tron SUV to cost between Rs. 1 crore and Rs. 1.5 crore (ex-showroom). Upon launch, it will compete with the likes of Mercedes-Benz EQC and Jaguar I-Pace in the Indian market, along with the upcoming Volvo XC40 Recharge.