Audi engineers may not be quite happy with the Q4 E-Tron. After all, and despite how elegant the designers managed to make it be, it is not much more than a fancy Volkswagen ID.4. The consolation prize for these guys could be in the Q4 E-Tron Sportback, which is the first production crossover coupe based on the MEB platform. Both made their world premiere this April 14.
The first vehicle to present this body type was the Volkswagen ID Crozz concept presented in April 2017 at the Auto Shanghai. Four years later, the Q4 E-Tron Sportback finally presents us what the production version of that car is.
Gallery: Audi Q4 E-Tron Shows What A More Luxurious VW ID.4 Would Be
Audi’s electric crossover coupe presents the same dimensions as the regular version apart from its drag coefficient (0.26 instead of 0.28) and height (1.61 m against 1.63 m). Both measures should make the Q4 E-Tron Sportback more aerodynamic, which should help it be a more efficient vehicle despite offering 2 centimeters less headroom in the back seats.
Apart from these differences, all Q4 E-Trons are 4.59 m long, 1.87 m wide, have a 2.76 m wheelbase, and can carry up to 520 liters of luggage. In the Sportback, an electric tailgate comes as standard. If you are wondering about towing, vehicles with Quattro drive can tow up to 1,200 kg (2,646 lb), with a nose weight of 75 kg (165 lb). Rear-wheel-drive cars have a turning circle of 10.2 meters.
Although the interior is miles away from that one in the ID.4, the Q4 E-Tron also offers the augmented reality head-up display that we have first seen in Volkswagen’s crossover. A heat pump is optional, which may sound strange in such premium cars.
Prices have already been defined in Europe: €41,900 for the Q4 35 E-Tron, with a 52 kWh of usable capacity (55 kWh with the battery buffer). The Q4 E-Tron Sportback should cost €2,000 more for each comparable derivative. To celebrate the premiere, the crossover will have the Edition One series, which will cost €6,195 more than the regular versions.
In terms of power, the entry-level Q4 E-Tron offers 168 hp (125 kW) only to the rear wheels. The Q4 35 can also have a stronger rear motor for 201 hp (150 kW). The flagships will be called Q4 50 and offer the Quattro drive with 295 hp (220 kW). The top speed is 180 km/h (112 mph) for all of them, but the Q4 50 takes only 6.2 seconds to go from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph).
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The largest battery pack offers both EVs 520 kilometers (323.1 miles) of range under the WLTP cycle. With 125 kW of fast charging capacity, they can recover 130 km (80.8 mi) of range in ten minutes.
All things considered, the Audi Q4 E-Tron and the Q4 E-Tron Sportback will appeal to brand fans or to those that think the ID.4 could be more sophisticated. For us to have a taste of Audi’s true concept for electric cars, we’ll have to wait for the Artemis, which is still some years away.
Gallery: Audi Q4 E-Tron Sportback Is The First MEB Crossover Coupe
