New entry-level Audi e-tron 50 quattro on sale now

Audi has updated its e-tron electric SUV range, adding an improved cooling system, a more efficient regenerative braking system and a new entry-level e-tron 50 quattro model, which features a less powerful electric powertrain and smaller range. The updated e-tron range is on sale in the UK now, with prices starting from £59,990.

The new entry-level Audi e-tron 50 quattro features a smaller 71kWh battery pack and a less potent version of the flagship model’s twin-motor, four-wheel-drive powertrain. It develops 308bhp and 540Nm of torque in the new base-model electric SUV, in comparison to the range-topping 55 quattro’s 402bhp and 664Nm of torque.

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As a result, the Audi e-tron 50 quattro’s top speed is reduced to 118mph, while 0–62mph takes roughly a second longer than the range-topping model’s at 6.8 seconds. Range for the 50 quattro also drops to around 190 miles, although the base-model will still recover an 80 per cent charge in just 30 minutes when plugged into a commercial fast-charger.

Audi has also reworked the flagship e-tron 55’s drivetrain as part of the SUV’s technical update, increasing the amount of accessible power its 95kWh battery pack can produce and improving the SUV’s range by 15 miles – taking the car’s maximum claimed range to 250 miles. The e-tron’s front motor is also now disengaged when cruising, which Audi says improves efficiency.

Smaller cooling hoses and a range of modifications to the e-tron’s wiring also mean that the updated car’s cooling system doesn’t work as hard as the old model’s, while changes to the SUV’s regenerative braking system allows up to 220kW of energy to be recovered when under light braking situations from 62mph.

New 2020 Audi e-tron: pricing and specs

The base-model Audi e-tron 50 quattro Technik comes as standard with 20-inch alloy wheels, LED headlamps and contrasting bumpers, side skirts and wheel arches. Inside, buyers get a pair of heated and electrically adjustable seats, a 12.3-inch digital instrument binnacle and a touchscreen infotainment system. Buyers also get a 7kW domestic wallbox charger at no additional cost.

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Sport models are priced from £62,600, adding a unique set of 20-inch alloy wheels, leather seat upholstery and a wireless smartphone charger. The range-topping S-Line model starts from £66,700, and features an aggressive sports-inspired body-kit, 21-inch alloy wheels, body-coloured bumpers, privacy glass and Matrix LED headlamps.

Audi is also offering a highly specced Launch Edition model, priced from £72,700. Additions include a full-length panoramic sunroof, an electrically adjustable steering column, exclusive 21-inch alloy wheels, a 360-degree camera, adaptive cruise control and a pair of rear-view cameras in place of conventional door mirrors.

What do you make of the updated Audi e-tron range. Let us know in the comments section below…