AUDI Q4 E-TRON 40 2WD BASE

Audi Q4 e-tron – a premium electric crossover for daily use

Audi Q4 e-tron is an electric crossover, first presented at the Geneva Motor Show in 2019 as a concept. Its serial production began in March 2021. The Audi Q4 e-tron is the first mass-produced car from Audi with rear-wheel drive.

Options

The Audi Q4 e-tron is available in four trim levels:

• 35 e-tron;
• 40 e-tron;
• 45 e-tron quattro;
• 50 e-tron quattro.

The first versions, 35 e-tron and 40 e-tron, were released in March 2021. The 50 e-tron quattro was released in April 2021, followed by the 45 e-tron quattro in July 2021.

The differences between these trim levels are as follows:

• 35 e-tron and 40 e-tron are rear-wheel drive, and 45 e-tron quattro and 50 e-tron quattro are all-wheel drive;
• The 35 e-tron has light alloy wheels with 235/55 R19 tires, the 40 e-tron and 45 e-tron quattro have 235/50 R20 tires, and the 50 e-tron quattro has 235/45 R21 tires. You can order branded Audi Sport alloy wheels to go with them. These are black wheels with five spokes and a glossy surface;
• except for the 35 e-tron package, all others have keyless access to the cabin, and the tailgate has a Hands-free function;
• in the 35 e-tron trim level, conventional cruise control is installed, in the 40 e-tron and 45 e-tron quattro trim levels - adaptive cruise control, and in the 50 e-tron quattro trim level, adaptive cruise control with autonomy level L2;
• except for the 35 e-tron configuration, all others are equipped with a blind spot monitoring system;
• In the 40 e-tron and 50 e-tron quattro trim levels, an automatic parallel parking system is installed;
• In the 50 e-tron quattro configuration, a glass washer is installed near the headlights and there is a function for automatically switching from high beam to low beam.

Appearance

Externally, the electric crossover has remained almost unchanged compared to its counterpart with an internal combustion engine. But the body has become more aerodynamic due to special stampings on the side doors and above the arches of the front and rear wheels.

The branded grille remains in front. In the Audi Q4 it helps cool the internal combustion engine, while in the electric crossover it serves purely decorative functions. But at the first glance at this grille, you immediately understand that this car belongs to the Audi brand. You can choose multiple colors for this lattice.

Under the grille there is a real air intake that cools the electric motor located above the front axle. While on the sides of the front bumper there are fake air intakes.

At the rear there is a continuous light strip connecting the right and left brake lights. There is a small spoiler above the rear window. The rear bumper is completely monolithic, without any decorative overlays. They are replaced by the squeezed out inscription E-tron.

In the 50 e-tron quattro version, the trunk area is more flattened to create less aerodynamic drag on the body. This makes the crossover's roof somewhat similar to that of a coupe.

Low and high beam - LED. There is a light sensor, daytime running lights and a headlight height adjustment function. In the highest configuration, automatic switching from high beam to low beam appears. Four options for light signatures have been developed for the front and rear headlights - this is a change in the pattern of automotive optics. For this purpose, the front and rear lights are made of separate LED blocks.

Trunk volume is 520 liters, and if you lower the rear seats, the volume increases to 1490 liters.

Interior

The interior of the Audi Q4 e-tron is pleasant, upholstered and decorated with high-quality materials. The angular front panel is decorated with plastic inserts and decorative metal elements. The shape and design make the front panel visually interesting. There is plenty to catch the eye on.

The driver and front passenger seats are sporty, with an ergonomic backrest and wide side bolsters. The seats in all trim levels are equipped with an electric drive and, with the exception of the 35 e-tron, also with memory.

An automatic transmission selector of a characteristic shape is installed on the center console. This is a small lever switch. There is also a sensitive zone on the driver's side center console for controlling the audio system.

Under the multimedia system screen there are mechanical climate control buttons. This is quite convenient because it does not require the driver to search for the desired menu on the touch screen. This distracts you from the road, which can lead to a life-threatening situation. Although the menu of the multimedia system is very convenient and intuitive.

The rear row of seats is quite spacious. There is plenty of legroom and the roof is high enough to make tall people feel comfortable. Three adults can easily fit in the back row. There is also a separate climate control for the rear row.

In all trim levels, the interior is equipped with multi-color lighting (11 colors). It can be connected to an audio system, and then the color will change to the rhythm of the music. As an additional option, the Audi Q4 e-tron can be equipped with a Sonos premium audio system.

Main technical characteristics

Weight and dimensions characteristics of the Audi Q4 e-tron:

• length – 4.59 meters;
• width – 1.865 meters;
• height – 1.626 meters;
• wheelbase length – 2.765 meters;
• clearance – 154 mm;
• curb weight – 2.16 tons.

MacPherson strut suspension and ventilated disc brakes are installed on the front axle, multi-link independent suspension and drum brakes are installed on the rear axle. The sports suspension on the electric car can be installed as an additional option. But even in the basic configuration, due to the lowered ground clearance, the Audi Q4 e-tron offers the driver direct contact with the road and more intense driving.

Engine and battery

The Audi Q4 e-tron in the 35 e-tron and 40 e-tron trim levels is equipped with an electric motor with a power of 150 kW. It produces a maximum torque of 310 Nm. It is enough to accelerate the electric crossover to 100 km/h. in 8.8 seconds.

In the 45 e-tron quattro and 50 e-tron quattro trim levels, the Audi Q4 e-tron is equipped with two electric motors (for each front and rear axle) with a power of 230 kW. They create a maximum torque of 472 Nm. It allows you to accelerate the electric crossover to a speed of 100 km/h. in 6.8 seconds.

For all engines, the maximum speed is limited to 160 km/h.

All configurations are equipped with one battery with a capacity of 84.8 kWh. This charge is enough for a rear-wheel drive crossover to travel 605 km without recharging, and an all-wheel drive crossover will travel 543 km without recharging. The battery charges from a household network in 12 hours. At fast charging stations, the battery regains 80% charge in 22 minutes. After 5 minutes, the battery will restore enough charge to travel 100 km.

Comfort level

The water dashboard is completely digital. It displays all the important information - speed, actual charge and distance that an electric car can travel on this charge. An interactive navigation system is displayed on the dashboard, visually suggesting where to turn.

The multifunction steering wheel is equipped with sensitive tactile surfaces, divided and highlighted by backlighting into zones of function keys, with which the driver turns off and changes the functions and capabilities of the electric vehicle. In addition, some features and functionality can be activated using voice commands. In the 45 e-tron quattro and 50 e-tron quattro trim levels, the steering wheel has a characteristic hexagonal shape. It does not interfere with reading information from anywhere on the dashboard.

Security level

Audi Q4 e-tron in all trim levels is equipped with the following electronic safety systems:

• front and rear parking sensors;
• all-round viewing system (360 degrees);
• anti-lock brakes (ABS);
• brake force distribution (EBD);
• Brake Assist;
• traction control (TCS);
• stabilization system (ESP);
• active braking;
• lifting assistance.

The following passive safety devices are installed in the cabin of the electric crossover:

• front airbags for driver and passenger;
• front side airbags;
• front and curtain airbags;
• Isofix mount for child seats.

Conclusions

The Audi Q4 e-tron is a typical premium electric crossover for the European middle class. It is moderately dynamic (if you need a sports version, then you need the 50 e-tron quattro package), and moderately technological. The salon is spacious and comfortable.

The Audi Q4 e-tron is an electric car for everyday use. It’s nice to drive to work in it, drop off your children at school, or go to the sea in the summer. A large range and short battery charging time at fast charging stations allow you to travel quite long distances in this electric crossover.