Skip to main content

Audi teases Tesla and Elon Musk in a new billboard ad for upcoming electric vehicle

Legacy automakers have targeted Tesla in ads before, like BMW’s anti-Model 3 commercials and Nissan’s Leaf ads aimed at Model 3 reservation holders.

Audi is the latest automaker to go after Tesla in its ads – though it appears to be more in an attempt at humor than a targeted effort to mitigate the impact of Model 3 reservations on their sales, like the previous ones from BMW and Nissan.  

In a strange move, Audi City Berlin posted a billboard ad advertising their upcoming e-tron Sportback all-electric vehicle, which was unveiled in April.

It’s weird enough that they would be advertising the concept of a vehicle that is not planned to hit the market for another 2 years, but on top of that, they appear to tease Tesla’s Elon Musk over it.

The ad features what appear to be a wordplay on “must-have”, as in “this is a must-have vehicle”, but spelled “Musk-Have” (pictures via Hybridcars):

It could also be meant as a flattering nod to what Tesla is doing. In the past, Musk has been somewhat eulogistic about Audi and he used to own a Q7 before the Model X went into production.

While the e-tron sportback is currently only a concept unveiled at the Auto Shanghai 2017, Audi confirmed that they plan to bring it to production in 2019 as the second vehicle in its series of 3 premium all-electric vehicles to be released in the next 3 years – starting with the e-tron quattro in 2018.

The automaker says that it will feature the same or similar specs as the quattro, like a 95 kWh battery pack for ~300 miles of range and a 320 kW motor, but in a smaller format.

While the e-tron quattro is likely to become a competitor to the Tesla Model X next year, the e-tron Sportback is more likely to face the Tesla Model Y, which is actually planned for around the same time.

It looks like Audi is planning to create a rivalry ahead of time.

Here are a few renders of the e-tron Sportback:

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

Stay up to date with the latest content by subscribing to Electrek on Google News. You’re reading Electrek— experts who break news about Tesla, electric vehicles, and green energy, day after day. Be sure to check out our homepage for all the latest news, and follow Electrek on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn to stay in the loop. Don’t know where to start? Check out our YouTube channel for the latest reviews.

Comments

Author

Avatar for Fred Lambert Fred Lambert

Fred is the Editor in Chief and Main Writer at Electrek.

You can send tips on Twitter (DMs open) or via email: fred@9to5mac.com

Through Zalkon.com, you can check out Fred’s portfolio and get monthly green stock investment ideas.