Audi’s EV Plan Comes into Focus
MUNICH, Germany—Thirty electrified vehicles by 2025 including 20 all-electric models. Audi’s EV plan for the next few years is quite ambitious. Of course, the four-ring brand will be assisted by parent company Volkswagen, which will apply its new modular electric platforms across the entire group, with variants covering all market segments.
Four Platforms Dedicated to Fully Electric Mobility
The first Audi EV has already been introduced. It’s the e-tron quattro SUV, which went on sale in Canada earlier this year.
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Built on a modular variant of the MLB Evo architecture, this model will soon be followed by the e-tron quattro Sportback—technically identical but featuring a more athletic look thanks to a coupe-like profile.
J1 Platform Shared with Porsche
At the Los Angeles Auto Show next month, Audi will unveil the production version of the e-tron GT sedan concept, which rides on the same J1 platform as the hot new 2020 Porsche Taycan.
Styling will be a near carbon copy of the concept; the only differences we’re likely to see are physical door handles instead of touch-sensitive controls to access the cabin, and the elimination of the illuminated “e-tron GT” lettering at the bottom of the grille. In other words, what you see on the picture below is pretty much what you’re going to get.
The Audi e-tron GT will be manufactured in Böllinger Höfe on the same assembly line as the R8 sports car starting in late 2020. Just like the Taycan, it will feature an 800-volt electric system allowing ultra-fast charging. Using a 90-kWh battery to feed a pair of electric motors, the car will sprint from 0-100 km/h in 3.5 seconds. Output is rated at 435 kilowatts, or 583 horsepower, and 612 pound-feet of torque.
We don’t know about the weight, but we suspect the e-tron GT will be just as heavy as the Taycan Turbo (over two metric tons). The good news is that a four-wheel steering system will be available to improve handling.
MEB Platform for Q4 e-tron and More
Volkswagen’s MEB platform, which will underpin the upoming ID. 3 hatchback and ID. Crozz SUV, will be shared with the Audi Q4 e-tron. The latter will use a 306-horsepower electric motor to drive the rear wheels, and customers will have the option of adding a front motor to create an AWD system.
The Q4 e-tron will have a Q3-sized exterior, yet offer as much interior room as the Q5. It is planned to go on sale in 2021, possibly with additional variants down the line thanks to the modular platform.
PPE Platform for Electric Luxury Vehicles
Furthermore, Audi and Porsche are working together to develop a fourth platform called PPE (Premium Platform Electric) to be used exclusively for their electric luxury vehicles. This one will be modular, too, designed for sedans, coupes, SUVs and crossovers of all shapes and sizes.
A presentation of the PPE concept was given behind closed doors in Munich. Audi confiscated our cameras and smartphones, so we don’t have any pictures to show you. What we can tell you is that development is under way.
This EV offensive by Audi will be backed by a number of plug-in hybrid models to be sold under the “TFSIe” badge. In Canada, the first of these will be the Q5, A7 and A8 due sometime in 2020. Don’t miss our review in the next few days.
