Author: Danhuang
In the current automobile market, new energy occupies an increasingly important position. In addition to the new forces in the automobile industry that are working hard to move forward, traditional automobile brands are also unwilling to fall behind and are actively undergoing electrification transformation to avoid being eliminated from the market.
Audi is no exception and has accelerated its transformation pace. At the 2021 Guangzhou auto show, FAW-Volkswagen Audi unveiled its new all-electric SUV model – the Audi Q4 e-tron.
The new car is positioned as a compact pure electric SUV, built on Audi’s modular electric platform MEB. The overseas version of the vehicle was unveiled online globally on April 15th, while the version displayed at this year’s auto show is the domestic version. According to reports, the new car will be available for pre-sale in China in the first half of 2022. So, what are the highlights of the domestic version of the Audi Q4 e-tron?
Still Strongly Audi
Perhaps as a traditional automaker, there is not much change in the styling design of the new car model. We can still see at a glance that it is an Audi, even with the family-style design of the grille, but we can also recognize it as a new energy vehicle from its closed grille.
The shape of the air intake on both sides of the front bumper is made up of a combination of silver and black, presenting a sharp “tooth” shape that highlights the sporty atmosphere.
In addition, from the picture, we can also see that the new car’s air intake and front wheel arches are equipped with similar parking radar devices.
It’s still the “light factory”, and Audi has never lost in headlight design. The perfectly proportioned size gives the Q4 e-tron a sense of stability and dignity. Even in the pure electric vehicle segment, it still has a very strong Audi gene. The Audi Q4 e-tron uses matrix LED headlights, which have been re-designed in detail, adding a lot of technological sense to this vehicle.
The length, width and height of the Audi Q4 e-tron are 4,590/1,865/1,613 mm respectively, with a wheelbase of 2,760 mm. The interior space length reaches 1,830 mm, showing a great performance in wheelbase for a compact SUV.
From the side of the car, it can be seen that this car still incorporates a lot of details. The black paint above the D-pillar extends to near the taillights, making the overall side profile look more like a hunting car. In addition, the side skirt uses a considerable amount of silver decoration, and the word “e-tron” is marked in a rear position, making the side look less rigid and adding a lot of vitality.
Audi’s design for the turning light of the rearview mirror is more attentive than most car models. It spans almost horizontally across the entire rearview mirror. From the picture, it can be seen that the light strip is composed of multiple small pieces, with very delicate details, which is well-deserved of the name “light factory”.
Unlike many new energy vehicles that try their best to reduce the drag coefficient of the whole vehicle, Audi did not blindly pursue innovation and change. The door handle of the Q4 e-tron is still the traditional pull-type, but even so, it still has an aerodynamic coefficient of 0.28.
The Audi Q4 e-tron uses Michelin EcoContact 6 series tires with a specification of 235/45 R21. The hub design incorporates a drag-reducing design, which is also the part where Audi declares its electrification in appearance.
Even if Audi’s changes to the appearance are relatively conservative, it can still be recognized as an electric vehicle from the rear of the car. There’s no exhaust pipe, and it uses the popular through-style taillights of new energy vehicles.
In terms of taillight design, Audi also put a lot of effort into it. The internal structure of the lamp housing adopts many design techniques and material combinations. A texture similar to a ribbon cable style and Audi’s logo is even integrated on the side of the lamp, cleverly using details to reflect the identity of the pure electric.
Full of Technology – The Intersection of Tradition and Trend
When entering the car, the interior part brings a strong sense of technology. The clean and neat lines and the center console almost have no “rounded” edges, giving people a dry and neat feeling.
The shape of the steering wheel is very unique. There are no physical buttons on either side, and touch controls are used to operate it.
The size of the full LCD instrument panel is 10.25 inches, and the design language of the family is also adopted in the shape. The display content is conventional and does not integrate many cool elements like most new energy vehicles, and leans towards traditional cars.
The embedded 11.6-inch center console screen is slightly tilted towards the driver’s seat, letting the driver look at the screen at a more comfortable angle. It also avoids strong reflections that make the screen difficult to see, a very friendly detail.
The air conditioning control area of the Audi Q4 e-tron is not integrated into the center console screen like most new energy vehicles. Retaining physical buttons for features that may be used in the driving process is the best choice.
Comfortable Riding Space
In terms of riding space, this car also performs well. For the rider with a height of 174cm, with the driver’s seat adjusted to a comfortable position, there is still plenty of headroom available.
The rear seating space is also good, with ample legroom and a fist-sized headroom reserved for rear passengers under the car’s roof.
In terms of seat materials, leather and fabric splicing are used, and the padding is relatively soft with a diamond-shaped texture. The driver’s seat is well wrapped and provides a very comfortable riding experience.
The driver’s seat is equipped with 8-way electric adjustment, 4-way electric lumbar support, and position memory.
It is worth mentioning that the rear seats are equipped with a central headrest, which takes into account the comfort of each passenger.
In addition, the center of the rear floor is flat, even with three people sitting, there is no pressure, which is worth praising.
Defeating the storage space of most similar models
The doors of the Audi Q4 e-tron are wrapped in a large amount of soft material with a comfortable touch, which is a basic operation in the pursuit of luxury riding experience. In addition, we found that there are very rich storage compartments on the door panels, and there is a total of 24.8 liters of storage space in the car. The practicality of this part is not neglected.
The trunk space is 520 liters, and the rear seats can be folded down in a 4/6 ratio, providing a huge space of 1490 liters after folding down. This performance is sufficient to allow Audi Q4 e-tron to surpass most similar models.
In terms of the power system, the Audi Q4 e-tron captured in this test is the 50 e-tron quattro version, which uses a four-wheel drive with a front asynchronous electric motor and a rear permanent magnet synchronous electric motor, with a maximum power of 299 horsepower, a maximum torque of 460 N·m, and 0 to 100 km/h acceleration in 6.2 seconds. It will be equipped with a 77 kWh ternary lithium battery pack, and the WLTP range is 488 km.
In addition, this model also offers two other versions, 35 e-tron and 40 e-tron, both of which use rear-wheel drive, with maximum power of 170 horsepower and 204 horsepower, maximum torque of 310 N·m, and equipped with 52 kWh and 77 kWh ternary lithium batteries, respectively. The WLTP range is 341 km and 520 km.
Summary
From any perspective, this car carries Audi’s classic elements. As a compact SUV, the Audi Q4 e-tron has excellent space performance and usability, making it a very suitable family car for most Chinese families. Currently, FAW-Volkswagen Audi has not announced the price of this car, but it is not positioned as high as the Audi e-tron, so it may have a more acceptable price.
Overall, the electrification transformation of traditional car companies requires a transitional period, during which it is an excellent opportunity to refine products. Traditional car companies do not have the luxury to be as imaginative as new automakers. They hope that their evolved products will leave a lasting impression and better adapt to the new era.
This article is a translation by ChatGPT of a Chinese report from 42HOW. If you have any questions about it, please email bd@42how.com.