Skip advert
Advertisement

New 2021 Audi Q4 Sportback e-tron concept previews electric coupe SUV

Swooping electric SUV will be capable of over 310 miles and will be Audi’s seventh electric car by next summer

Audi has a new concept car that gives us a clear look at an electric SUV production model due on sale in 2021. It’s called the Audi Q4 Sportback e-tron Concept and, as per the brand’s established naming conventions, it’ll become a 'Sportback' coupe-SUV variant of the regular Q4 e-tron. 

Advertisement - Article continues below

The Q4 e-tron is set to be the first Audi to launch on the VW Group’s MEB platform for electric vehicles, the Sportback version will be a slightly sportier sibling for Q4 e-tron with both cars rivalling the Tesla Model Y.

Both versions of the Q4 e-tron will be on sale next year, and Audi says it is revealing the Q4 Sportback e-tron in concept form for now to give potential customers an early chance to decide which version they prefer before order books open. 

With the Q4 Sportback e-tron, Audi has tweaked the original design of the Q4 e-tron into a compact coupe-SUV. It will join a growing line-up of such models in the brand’s range, such as the full-size e-tron Sportback EV and combustion powered cars like the Q3 Sportback and upcoming Q5 Sportback

Design and technology

The main changes on the Sportback version are, predictably, all found at the rear of the car. The traditional C-pillar on the Q4 e-tron has been removed, and the roofline arches in a single continuous crescent from the front axle to the very rear of the car, to give the Q4 Sportback e-tron a fastback style look. 

Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement - Article continues below

The rear window is steeper in rake than before and is split in half by a small lip spoiler, but the rear three-quarter windows grow in size. Elsewhere, it carries over the large rear diffuser with illuminated e-tron logo, LED taillight bar, characteristically squared off shoulders, 22-inch wheels and large front grille of its sibling. 

The interior is the same too. The driver is presented with a hexagonal steering wheel that has touch sensitive pads for controlling various cabin and driving functions, behind this is a small digital instrument panel. A larger 12.3-inch central touchscreen is angled towards the driver, and a storage compartment is found beneath the panel housing the drive mode selector. 

Advertisement - Article continues below

Like the original Q4 e-tron concept the Sportback is presented as a four-seater, though the production model will almost certainly accommodate five passengers. White and beige microfibre upholstery features around the cabin and the seats are finished in Alcantara. The dark floor covering is made from recycled materials. 

Battery, range and performance

Using the MEB platform means that the flagship version of the Q4 Sportback e-tron will support a battery 82kWh in size. While the Volkswagen ID.3 hatchback, which also uses MEB, will be available with 45kWh and 58kWh battery packs to allow for cheaper models, Audi has not confirmed if the Q4 e-tron will be offered with smaller battery options just yet. 

Audi has confirmed that all-wheel-drive and rear-wheel-drive versions will be available though. With the dual-motor all-wheel-drive setup, the Q4 Sportback e-tron claims a maximum range of 280 miles on a single charge, while power stands at 298bhp, enabling 0-62mph in 6.3 seconds and an electronically limited top speed of 112mph. Specs for rear-wheel-drive versions have not been fully confirmed, but a range of over 310 miles on a single charge has been mooted by Audi.

Rapid charging at up to 125kW has been confirmed for the Q4 e-tron models. Find a suitable roadside charger, and Audi claims that you’ll be able to top up the battery to 80 per cent from flat in just over half an hour. 

Prices and market

Both versions of the Q4 e-tron are still at the concept stage and won’t be revealed in production form until early next year. Volkswagen, meanwhile, is just weeks away from presenting a similar sized electric SUV in the form of the ID.4 that's due on sale before the Q4 e-tron pair. The Audi will be positioned above its VW stablemate on price, and with the 82kWh battery on board, expect a starting price over the £50,000 mark when it arrives. The Q4 Sportback e-tron will carry a small premium of a few thousand pounds over that.

Skip advert
Advertisement
Skip advert
Advertisement

Recommended

Charging to the Alps in the mind-blowing Rimac Nevera EV hypercar
Rimac Nevera EV hypercar - Dynamic front 3/4

Charging to the Alps in the mind-blowing Rimac Nevera EV hypercar

Can an electric car be a genuine grand tourer? We take a Nevera to the Alps to find out
29 Mar 2024
New Audi A3 still planned: entry-level EV to give affordability edge over BMW and Mercedes
Audi A3 EV render - front
News

New Audi A3 still planned: entry-level EV to give affordability edge over BMW and Mercedes

Audi will persevere with its plan for an entry-level electric car to replace the existing Audi A3 at a time when rivals will be exiting that market
20 Mar 2024
Mercedes-AMG’s Porsche Taycan killer powerslides into view
Mercedes-AMG EQ Supersaloon - front
News

Mercedes-AMG’s Porsche Taycan killer powerslides into view

The new electric Mercedes-AMG super saloon will use AMG’s own unique platform, and is likely to produce 1,000bhp
18 Mar 2024
Hot Volkswagen ID. Buzz GTX to be revealed on 21 March
Volkswagen ID. Buzz GTX teaser
News

Hot Volkswagen ID. Buzz GTX to be revealed on 21 March

The high-performance minibus is likely to feature 335bhp dual-motor setup from new VW ID.7 GTX Tourer
14 Mar 2024

Most Popular

Road tax set to rise in April: here’s how much more you’ll pay
Road tax documentation
News

Road tax set to rise in April: here’s how much more you’ll pay

Drivers with newer cars will now pay £10 more per year, although the biggest gas guzzlers fare even worse
28 Mar 2024
Posh new trim level for Dacia Sandero while the Sandero Stepway gets more power
Dacia Sandero - front
News

Posh new trim level for Dacia Sandero while the Sandero Stepway gets more power

Both the Sandero and Sandero Stepway ranges have been tweaked, gaining more safety features to meet the latest regulations
26 Mar 2024
Car Deal of the Day: updated Skoda Enyaq at 0% APR and a free home wallbox charger thrown in
Skoda Enyaq iV - front cornering
News

Car Deal of the Day: updated Skoda Enyaq at 0% APR and a free home wallbox charger thrown in

Skoda’s family-friendly EV with 348-mile range is our Car Deal of the Day for 26 March
26 Mar 2024