The E-Tron is Audi’s first electric vehicle, and looks like a conventional luxury SUV. It doesn’t consume fossil fuel and doesn’t have any tailpipe emissions. We love its smooth acceleration, vault-like quietness, plush ride, and impeccably luxurious cabin. However, it has a relatively short range when compared with its main competitors, the Jaguar I-Pace and Tesla Model X, and its long charging times keep it on a short leash. In addition, its typical $80,000 price tag means this advanced vehicle doesn’t come cheap, although its running costs are low.
The Audi has an EPA-rated range of 204 miles, and took us an agonizingly long 13 hours to fully charge the 95-kWh battery from about five percent charge on a 240-volt charger. DC fast chargers outlets, which aren’t widely available, can get the battery to 80-percent charge at a quicker rate, making long trips a bit more manageable.
Driving the E-Tron is a treat. Its electric motors silently propel the SUV forward in a smooth, dignified manner without the head-snapping lunge off the line we’ve experienced in some other electric vehicles.