Normally my e-mobility tests are a little more detailed and go into detail, but this time there is a short report on the new Audi Q4 e-tron. I was able to briefly test Audi’s first electric car on the MEB platform and would still like to report something about it.
Audi e-tron Q4 Variants
The Q4 e-tron will be available in four different versions, one of which will only be available later (Q3/2021):
Q4 35 e-tron: rear-wheel drive and 125kW (WLTP up to 341km)Q4 40 e-tron: rear-wheel drive and 150kW (WLTP up to 520km)Q4 45 e-etron quattro: all-wheel drive with 195kW (WLTP up to 452km) Q3Q4 50 e-tron quattro: All-wheel drive with 220kW (WLTP up to 488km) Audi Q4 50 e-tron quattro
Testwagen: Audi Q4 50 e-tron quattro
I had the opportunity to drive the top variant of the Q4, namely the 50 e-tron with all-wheel drive. This model’s base price starts at just under 62,000 CHF and the car in the test comes with numerous accessories in essentially top equipment for 89,000 CHF. This is of course a significantly higher price, especially in comparison with the company’s internal competitors VW ID.4 and Skoda Enyaq, but it also reflects Audi’s market positioning.
Audi Q4 e-tron Cockpit
inner space
The new Q4 e-tron also benefits from the design of the MEB platform, on which the VW ID.4 and Skoda Enyaq are also built. This means that although the Q4 is significantly more compact than its big brother from 2018, the e-tron, there is comparatively as much space in the interior. So even a large family or with small children in child seats will feel absolutely comfortable in terms of space. There is 25 liters of storage space in the interior. What is certainly striking is the very high-quality interior and the newly designed steering wheel. Also the first car to date on the MEB platform, the driver has a full display behind the steering wheel with navigation displays and much more.
trunk
The trunk also offers plenty of space for the size of the vehicle; depending on the position of the backrests, the load volume ranges from 520 liters to 1,460 liters. The double bottom makes it easy to store charging cables. The electrically extendable trailer hitch allows trailers of up to 1000kg to be towed, and in the Quattro version tested here even up to 1200kg.
Audi Q4 e-tron in a short driving test
There was a lot to discover during the rainy test drive with the brand new Audi Q4 e-tron. As mentioned, time was tight for a number of things, but three things in particular quickly caught my attention. On the one hand, the new sound system from Sonos and as a lover of Sonos at home, I immediately liked it. To do this, quickly pair the iPhone with the Audi infotrainment via CarPlay and off you go.
But if you turn the sound down a little or turn it off, the second highlight. The background noise is reduced to a minimum and the Q4 was probably the quietest electric car I have driven alongside the EQC from Mercedes. Hats off, very well done and shows that Audi has high quality workmanship.
The final point is of course the quattro drive. Here you can notice clear differences to the pure rear-wheel drive vehicles on the MEB platform. There is also more power and driving dynamics, but of course you lose some turning circle. But for me it’s an exciting compromise and as the sales figures show, we Swiss are all-wheel drive buyers.
The actual consumption is difficult to determine over the short test time; here, in heavy rain and still with a sporty driving style, the average was just under 20kWh/100km. I’m looking forward to a longer test with the quattro so that I can compare real consumption data with the rear-wheel drive.
On the Q4 e-tron, the MEB recuperation stage can typically be used in B mode on “default-on” or can be driven in sliding mode using D. The former rocker switches behind the steering wheel are used here to select the recuperation level, so the deceleration can be set quickly and practically by the electric motor. This is ideal for longer passes.
Audi Q4 50 e-tron quattro
Audi Q4 e-tron Laden
The test time was too short for a meaningful test of a fast charge using HPC, so I left it out. Since the Q4 e-tron is based on MEB technology, I know these values well from my several thousand kilometers in the ID.4, so the Q4 can also charge with 125kW. At home or on public AC chargers it works at the now usual 11kW. These are solid values and enable problem-free travel.
Conclusion
Audi is further expanding its portfolio of electric vehicles with the Q4 e-tron. After I had already tested the first Audi e-tron and the e-tron GT here, the Q4 is essentially the “entry-level variant”. Audi is clearly focusing on the discerning customer who values high-quality workmanship and attention to detail. In any case, I liked the Audi Q4 e-tron and am excited to see what fuel consumption I can achieve in a longer test with the quattro.
The Q4 35 e-tron is available from Audi from 47,800 CHF, the cheapest variant with quattro drive, the Q4 45 will be available from September from around 58,000 CHF.