Audi e-tron quattro Concept is here

What is that in front of the blue Q3 1.4 TFSI? Why, only the future of Audi transportation. The German automaker revealed the e-tron quattro concept crossover a month ago at the Frankfurt Motor Show, with clear intent to move into the production phase. Now, regular customers are getting their first taste of the car at the Audi Forum in Neckarsulm.

While we weren’t huge fans of the design when we saw it in Frankfurt, something clicked in the past month. Everything that’s good about the Audi brand, especially the cool interiors, can only survive if electric mobility is adopted. This has nothing to do with making a rival for the Tesla Model X and everything to do with making the car of the future.

 

 

The e-tron quattro looks totally natural in the company of current production Audis. That’s because the designers made this concept with production intent. Oh sure, the front end is weird, and there are no wing mirrors, but underneath could be a real car’s platform.

The entire Volkswagen Group is going to rely on modular architecture for electric cars. In addition to that, the e-tron could rely on a battery built on cells from LG Chem and Samsung SDI to travel up to 310 miles or 500 kilometers.

“In early 2018, we will launch a battery-powered sports activity vehicle in the large premium segment with a range of more than 500 kilometers,” Audi technical development board member Prof. Dr. Ulrich Hackenberg said at the conference.

Unless you’re a businessman with deep pockets, you won’t be able to afford an Audi electric car with such a long range. However, it’s possible that much cheaper and smaller EVs could follow next decade. Within ten years, we could be looking at a €20,000 A1-sized city runabout.

Of course, there’s another good reason to check out the EV crossover at Audi Forum Neckarsulm. Just check out the interior, which is undoubtedly going to influence the next A8 saloon. As a party trick, there are also screens on both doors that show the feed from rear-view cameras. The solution seems a little impractical, but it’s got potential.