Audi has become the latest car company to introduce an electric vehicle when it unveiled the sporty e-tron SUV – its first fully electric production model in San Francisco this week.
The Audi e-tron SUV has two powerful electric motors with a system output of up to 300 kW.
It can sprint from 0 to 100km/h in 5.7 seconds with a top speed of 200km/h.
The car will have a range of 400km and fast charging at up to 150kW.
The electrical all-wheel drive provides excellent traction and handling on any terrain in any weather conditions.
Audi’s new e-tron SUV is 4.9m long, 1.935m wide and 1.616m high with a wheelbase of 2.928m.
It can fit five occupants in comfort and has a total luggage capacity of 660 litres.
The battery system is located between the axles is a flat broad block beneath the passenger compartment which gives the vehicle a low centre of gravity – similar to that of a sedan.
There are also seven driving modes to choose from depending on the driving situation, road conditions and personal preferences.
Also onboard is smart is suspension with adaptive dampers and an adjustable ride height which can be varied by as much as 7.6cm.
Another highlight of the Audi e-tron are the optional virtual exterior mirrors – a world first in a series production model.
Each of the mirror supports integrates a small camera with the feed displayed on a high contrast OLED display inside the vehicle.
Inside the car are two large touchscreens angled in the driver’s direction and these replace nearly every conventional switch, button and control.
Many of the functions can also be controlled using the natural voice control system.
The Audi e-tron also comes with a high-end infotainment system which includes 4G LTE and a wi-fi hotspot.
There are also a number of assistance systems to make the drive even easier with the system using radar sensors and cameras to detect traffic environment and the route.
The Audi e-tron is expected to go into production later this year with the first deliveries expected to arrive in Australia in mid 2019.
Pricing and exact specifications will be announced closer to launch.