Used 2021 Audi e-tron

The 2021 Audi e-tron SUV and 2021 e-tron Sportback luxury crossovers represent a major step toward the future. They both run solely on electric power, but are also true Audi vehicles through and through. The company plans to bring electrification in one form or another to virtually all of its vehicles within the next few years.

The e-tron comes as a regular SUV, although far from mundane in looks. And a Sportback version, receiving the same sloped-roof treatment as the BMW X6 and Mercedes-Benz GLE-Coupe.

Size-wise, the e-tron duo sit more or less between the Q5 and the Q7. They share the same mechanicals and mostly the same equipment.

It’s been around a decade since the Tesla Model S shook things up in the luxury car world. Only now are we seeing rivals like the Jaguar I-Pace, Mercedes-Benz EQC, and the e-tron answer the all-electric call.

That’s not a criticism. It tells us that electric vehicles (EV) from established companies have been subject to the full process of research and development.

And the factories have been tooled up for mass production. In the e-tron’s case, that means a plant certified as carbon neutral, another aspect of Audi’s push toward greater sustainability.

To someone who usually expects rapid acceleration to be accompanied by engine noise and exhaust roar, the Audi e-tron’s near-silent operation can create a falsely unhurried impression. With Boost engaged (by selecting Sport driving mode), either version of the e-tron can zip from standstill to 60 mph in 5.5 seconds.

Admittedly, that’s about a second slower than the Jaguar I-Pace and most Tesla models. But the e-tron is still as fast as it needs to be, packing plenty of torque to make easy work of uphill stretches and passing maneuvers. And the standard adaptive suspension moves between composure and comfort according to the needs of the moment.

The suspension can also raise itself to adapt to off-road conditions — not especially demanding situations, perhaps, but it’s good to know that the e-tron’s standard all-wheel-drive setup can cope with more than just snowy roads. Drivers will also like the elevated driving position and excellent outward vision.

In both SUV and Sportback forms, the Audi e-tron has seating for five. The SUV is slightly kinder to rear passengers and has more cargo space (a maximum of 57 cubic feet), but the differences aren’t that drastic.

In general, the interior design has a lot in common with other Audi crossovers, full of smart touches and quality materials, all put together in an exemplary manner. There are no “quirky for the sake of it” details just because this is an electric vehicle. Yet the amount of technology is still high.

Along with a 12.3-inch digital driver information display (Audi’s renowned Virtual Cockpit), the dashboard has two central touch screens. The top 10.1-inch screen is for the infotainment system, the lower 8.8-inch unit handles climate controls. Even the base Premium trim has heated front seats, leather seating surfaces, and satellite radio.

It looks like an Audi with a difference, which describes the e-tron exactly. The “grille” doesn’t have any openings because there’s no engine to cool. And there are no exhaust pipes because there are no emissions.

The main distinctions, though, are the two body shapes. The SUV is still pretty sleek. No one could accuse it of looking boxy. And the Sportback does that sloping roof thing that started with the BMW X6 — in the crossover category, at least.

Every trim level rolls on 20-inch alloy wheels. There’s a version of the Black Optic cosmetics package for each trim, but the Prestige’s includes 21-inch alloy wheels. And call us shallow, but a couple of wheel designs for the 2021 e-tron are spectacular.

Back on the pragmatic side, the e-tron gains charging ports on both sides at the Premium Plus level. It’s a nice little added convenience.

REASSURANCE
Sure, there are other electric vehicles with better ranges and some that cost less. But the e-tron comes from a well-established and highly regarded marque with a full repertoire of luxury and safety features, along with an extensive network of dealers.

REAL LUXURY
The Bang & Olufsen audio system that comes in at the Premium Plus level sounds wonderful, a daily justification for spending the extra money. Or the Prestige trim comes standard with massaging front seats and soft-closing doors. The Audi e-tron is a luxury crossover with an electric drivetrain, as opposed to an electric vehicle with a few luxury touches.

The new Premium trim for the 2021 e-tron comes with a lot of features, as it should when the price is $67k. That said, a standard adaptive air suspension is still impressive. There’s also full LED exterior lighting with automatic high beams, panoramic sunroof with a powered shade, hands-free tailgate release, self-dimming mirrors, 12-3-inch Virtual Cockpit, heated steering wheel, power-adjustable steering column, driver’s-side memory settings, and quad-zone automatic climate control.

Safety systems include forward-collision warning with automatic emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-traffic alert, front/rear parking sensors, and lane departure warning.

The infotainment setup has two USB ports, navigation, satellite radio, and wireless Apple CarPlay/wired Android Auto smartphone integration.

The SUV and Sportback have virtually the same features, but the Sportback’s Premium trim also comes with climate control pre-heating/cooling.

The Convenience Plus package for the e-tron SUV puts some of the higher trim level’s equipment into the Premium trim: adaptive cruise control with various assistance features for maneuvering, evasive action, and energy efficiency, a 360-degree/top-view camera system, black roof rails, and a Black Optic exterior design bundle. The combination of Premium trim’s standard features and this package makes a lot of financial sense.

Premium Plus trim also adds wireless charging and phone signal boosting, heated/ventilated front seats, heated rear seats, glass-look/aluminum-look controls, a 16-speaker/705-watt Bang & Olufsen audio system, and that extra charging port.

Prestige brings a head-up display, intersection assistance, dual-pane acoustic glass for the side windows, full leather upholstery, massaging front seats, power-closing doors, multi-color ambient LED cabin lighting, shades for the rear windows, and a cabin air system with ionization and fragrance.

All versions are eligible for rear side airbags and illuminated seat belt buckles. Plus a towing package; the Audi e-tron can tow up to 4,000 pounds.

The same drivetrain setup goes into every new Audi e-tron. It consists of two asynchronous electric motors: one driving the front wheels, the other (more powerful) motor driving the rears, for an electronic version of all-wheel drive. Combined output is 355 horsepower and 414 lb-ft of torque. Although that rises to 402 horsepower and 490 lb-ft of torque when Boost mode is engaged, but that will deplete the battery faster.

These motors are energized by a 95 kWh lithium-ion battery pack (that has its own 8-year/100,000-mile warranty). On a DC fast charger, the battery will reach 80-percent capacity in 30 minutes. A full charge on a 240-volt outlet takes around nine hours.

This year, Audi has tweaked the drivetrain so that the rearward motor does the bulk of the work in normal conditions, but the front motor can engage within fractions of a second. The company has also improved battery performance so that it can deliver optimum power throughout its operational life.

The e-tron SUV is estimated to cover 222 miles on a single charge (that’s 18 more than before). And the e-tron Sportback’s range is 218 miles, even though it weighs the same and actually has a lower drag coefficient (0.28 vs. 0.30).

Dual asynchronous electric motors
355 horsepower (402 w/Boost mode)
414 lb-ft of torque (490 w/Boost mode)
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 78/78 MPGe (e-tron SUV), 76/78 MPGe (e-tron Sportback)
EPA-rated range on a full charge: 222 miles (e-tron SUV), 218 miles (e-tron Sportback)