Yahoo Autos Here’s What to Expect from the Audi Q4 e-tron as Production Starts
Audi Q4 e-tron compact electric SUV production begins in Zwickau, Germany, alongside the VW ID.4.
The Q4 e-tron will be sized between the Q3 and Q5 SUVs, and will also gain a Sportback version next year.
The Q4 e-tron is expected to have specs similar to those of the ID.4's AWD version, optioned with the longer-range 82-kW battery.
The Audi e-tron now has a little brother, with production of the Q4 e-tron starting this week in Zwickau, Germany, alongside the VW ID.4 with which it shares the MEB platform. The Ingolstadt-based automaker revealed photos of what will be its fifth electric model from the assembly line, ahead of the Q4 e-tron's market launch in Europe this summer, when it will compete with other luxury electric SUVs and crossovers.
The Q4 e-tron is a compact electric SUV sharing underpinnings with the ID.4, which is going on sale stateside right now, but will offer a more premium interior along with an expected dual-motor setup. Concrete specs of the Q4 have not been revealed just yet—this will happen next month—but we can expect the Q4 to offer the larger 82-kW battery and all-wheel drive, staying true to core brand positioning. If the specs turn out to be identical to the ID.4, we can expect a combined output of 302-hp (225 kW). It should also have a range of 250 miles, though this figure could be dinged somewhat by the additional weight of some of the luxury features inside.
The Q4 e-tron measures 180.7 inches in length, which makes it about four inches longer than the gas-engined Q3, and four inches shorter than the Q5, for comparison. The Q4 will also be 63.5 inches tall, compared to the 62.9-inch tall Q3, pretty closely splitting the difference between the those two, making it easy to cross-shop for buyers with other gas-engined offerings at the same dealership.
Earlier this month Audi already shared some photos of the Q4's interior, but we've yet to see the SUV in its entirety on the outside, sans camo.
"With the start of production of the Audi Q4 e-tron, the Volkswagen plant in Zwickau is now a multi-brand plant," Dr. Stefan Loth, chairman of the executive management of Volkswagen Saxony. "As a result, we are writing yet another chapter in the long history of the automotive industry here in Saxony. I'd like to thank all the Audi employees who are currently manufacturing the vehicles to the very highest quality, in the agreed-upon volume, and on schedule."
The Q4 is set to go on sale stateside at the end of this year, and will be followed next year by the Q4 Sportback. Audi's baby EV will take on the likes of the Volvo XC40 Recharge and the Tesla Model Y, but will likely stay north of the price range of some other new competitors, including the Nissan Ariya and the Kia EV6. After all, there'll be premium price to pay for the four rings on the front.
From a wider perspective, the rollout of the Q4 e-tron demonstrates the flexibility of the Volkswagen Group's MEB platform that now underpins quite a variety of vehicles spanning several brands, from VW to SEAT to Skoda. Wolfsburg is also using smaller versions of the MEB toolkit for smaller EVs like the ID.3 hatch, which will gain several versions among the VW Group brands, and will also see larger vehicles like the upcoming ID.BUZZ electric MPV.
"The cross-brand collaboration in Zwickau demonstrates once again the enormous synergy potential that we enjoy with the Volkswagen Group," said Peter Kössler, Audi AG board member for production and logistics. "The on-schedule start of production of the Audi Q4 e-tron is testament to the outstanding teamwork—among the Volkswagen and Audi colleagues alike. Our compact electric SUV is unmistakably a true Audi that will wow our customers with its outstanding quality and everyday usability."
When it comes to Audi itself, the Zwickau plant won't be the sole producer of MEB-platform cars for long as the brand's traditional plants in Neckarsulm and Ingolstadt will begin producing electric Audis starting next year. These will be based on the Premium Platform Electric (PPE) platform shared with Porsche, with the Ingolstadt plant scheduled to begin production first. And by 2025, Audi plans to have more than 20 battery-electric models, in addition to plug-in hybrids.
With the Q4, one of the biggest questions at the moment is just how much it will cost.
We expect the Q4 to kick things off at about $45,000—not as hefty a step above the ID.4 as feared—and top out at about $60,000 for the most luxurious trim. If this projected range holds, the Q4 should be quite competitive against even lower-priced, non-luxury offerings from other automakers, and a bargain compared to the larger e-tron SUV, which starts in the mid-$60,000 range.
We'll see the Q4 e-tron in full next month.
Are there any electric SUVs whose debut you're waiting for this year to try? Let us know in the comments below.
