A road test over 300 kilometers long, without ever having to recharge the car. Protagonist? The new electric Audi Q4 e-tron, driven on a test drive that took us from Verona to Pinzolo and then climbed to 1750 meters among the fascinating landscapes of the Brenta Dolomites. All at the wheel of the more powerful version of the first compact electric SUV of the brand with the four rings. The Q4 50 e-tron quattro is in fact the top model of the range thanks to the 299 horsepower provided by the two electric engines mounted on the rear and front axles, which can also guarantee quattro all-wheel drive. All combined with an 82 kWh battery, capable of ensuring a range of 478 km with Wltp approval, and mounted on the modular Meb platform.
Audi Q4 50 e-tron, road test
Today the biggest obstacle when buying an electric car is generated by autonomy anxiety. The road test of the new Audi Q4 e-tron was built on this theme, with a route that took us from Verona to Pinzolo passing through Rovereto and on the second day up to 1750 meters above sea level in the mountains of the Brenta Dolomites. to then go down through Riva del Garda and back to Verona. All this without ever connecting the car to the column, understanding how in most situations the electric range is more sufficient even for long journeys. As soon as we leave Verona, we are sure of how the Q4 will be the protagonist of the transition to electric for many customers. The reason? In addition to a pleasant line and an excellent build quality in perfect Audi style, the space on board is beyond all expectations; meter in hand, the cockpit is comparable to that of the Q7, almost 40 centimeters longer, and the boot from 520 to 1,490 liters is comparable to that of the Q5. All with dimensions slightly larger than those of the Q3. Added to this is a high driving pleasure (thanks to the Meb platform, the starting point of the new electric group) and sports performance given the 299 horsepower available. Of course, to make the most of the autonomy available, we do not exaggerate on the accelerator pedal and take our test drive in absolute tranquility in terms of autonomy. Arriving at the highest point of our test drive, at 1750 meters in the mountains of the Brenta Dolomites, the autonomy indicator shows about 70 km available compared to a much longer distance to return to Verona. Despite the temptation to connect the car to an outlet of the Malga Ritorto, the descent downstream and makes us recharge almost 200 km thanks to the regenerative power of the car with three power levels (for the first time on an electric Audi). Also promoted to infotainment and digitalization, with the debut of the new Head Up display with augmented reality.
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New Audi Q4 e-tron, dimensions
The dimensions are equal to a length of 4.59 meters, a width of 1.86 meters, a width of 1.86 m and a height of 1.61 meters. The use of the Volkswagen Group’s modular electric Meb platform allows an unprecedented use of space. The front overhang contained in 86 centimeters is combined with a wheelbase of 2.76 meters. On the aerodynamic front, the Q4 e-tron achieves a drag coefficient of 0.28. Upon request, Matrix Led headlights are available, with four luminous signatures, while at the rear a light strip connects the two headlights. A choice of eight paint finish colors is available, including the new metallic aurora purple hue.
Audi Q4 e-tron interior
The interior of the Q4 e-tron is completely new and equipped with details such as the new steering wheel, the head-up display with augmented reality and the maxi screen in the center of the dashboard. The digital instrumentation, standard since the first trim level, in the entry level configuration has a diagonal of 10.25 inches. The information can be managed using the steering wheel controls. The powermeter, next to the speedometer, displays the power used, the battery charge level and the interventions of the energy recovery system. On a higher level, the Audi virtual cockpit, characterized by two different views, integrates the navigation map and the infotainment controls. Top of the range is the Audi virtual cockpit plus which offers the “classic”, “sport” and “e-tron” layouts; opting for the latter the powermeter is in the foreground. The introduction of the head-up display with augmented reality is combined with the Mib 3 infotainment system and the debut of the brand new 11.6-inch Mmi touch display: the largest ever mounted on a four-ring car. It features a resolution of 1,764 x 824 pixels and acoustic feedback. Available in full screen configuration during the second half of 2021, it allows you to manage the infotainment, comfort functions and text entry by handwriting. Voice control, in addition to the functions that can be managed via the Mmi touch, recognizes commonly used expressions and, thanks to the Audi connect Navigation and Infotainment plus package, integrates on-board information from the cloud. Among the features stands out the optional premium audio system made by Sonos and there is also the Audi smartphone interface for wireless connection of Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
Audi Q4 50 e-tron spec sheet
At the top of the range is the 299 horsepower Q4 50 e-tron quattro, four-wheel drive, 82 kWh battery and a range of 487 km. The 0-100 km / h is covered in 6.2 seconds and the maximum speed is equal to 180 km / h. For all versions it will be possible to combine the Audi Drive Select system, sports suspension, progressive steering and mount alloy wheels between 19 and 21 inches. Autonomy can be preserved thanks to the coasting mode, the three different energy recovery levels and the selectable B mode on the gearbox. For all advanced level 2 autonomous driving.