2021 Audi e-tron electric SUV to launch in India on July 22
Audi India has confirmed that the Audi e-tron electric SUV will launch in the country on July 22. The e-tron was first showcased in India in July 2019, but the disruptions since then and Audi's focus on shoring up the rest of the line-up has meant that the EV will come to India two years later. Globally the e-tron has been a big success for Audi, becoming one of Europe's best-selling EVs and spawning a full range of derivatives.
The Audi is based on the Volkswagen Group's MEB architecture, which in this car's case, is a heavily reworked version of the MLB underpinnings found underneath the Chinese-market Audi Q5 LWB. The Audi e-tron is expected to be offered in one drivetrain option in the Indian market, the 55 quattro, which houses a liquid-cooled 95 kWh lithium-ion battery between the two axles. This powers two electric motors, one on each axle, for a combined output of 360PS and 561 Nm, and AWD capabilities. This lets the electric SUV get from zero to 100 kmph in 6.6s and on to a 200 kmph top-speed.
A boost function is available which increases outputs to 408PS and 664 Nm, and drops the acceleration time to 5.7s. Three levels of recuperation are available, accessed via the paddle shifters, and these can recover upto 30 per cent of the energy spent. Further, these also assist in deceleration. This set-up gives its a 400 km range. Aside from the usual drive modes available in other Audis, a special 'Range' mode is available via the drive select which shuts down auxiliary energy-consuming functions to eke out the most distance. Read our review of the Audi e-tron here.
The e-tron can be charged in three ways. The first is using a regular 11 kWh hour AC charger which takes 8.5 hours. An optional 22 kWh fast charger will also be an option for the customer, which tops up the car in 4.5 hours. Further, the e-tron can also be charged using a 150 kWh AC fast charger, which gives 80 per cent range in 30 minutes. Audi India will set up the chargers in owners houses when they buy the e-tron. The firm thinks that a full charge should suffice for week-long city usage. The company is expected to set up fast-charging stations at its dealership across the country and may announce tie-ups with charging infrastructure firms as well. Further, an India-specific warranty and service package for the e-tron's customers can be expected. Know more about the Audi e-tron here.
2021 Audi e-tron price, rivalsExpect the Audi EV to be priced around the Rs 1 crore (ex-showroom) mark when it launches here next month. The e-tron will compete with the recently launched Jaguar I-Pace and Mercedes-Benz EQC in India. Like its rivals, the Audi e-tron will be sold in India as a CBU. Follwing the launch of the e-tron, the Audi e-tron Sportback is also expected to debut in the country.