Audi Q4 e-tron electric SUV to start at just $45,000

The Audi Q4 e-tron, the four-ring brand’s next electric SUV, is going to start at just $45,000, according to a new report.

At the Geneva Motor Show last year, the German automaker presented a concept of the Q4 e-tron, but Audi confirmed that a production version will launch “at the end of 2020 as the Audi brand’s fifth electric model.”

It will be Audi’s first vehicle based on the VW MEB platform and it should enable better electric performance.

In terms of design, there’s a clear resemblance of the e-tron, Audi’s first production electric SUV, but it is smaller and should be a competitor in the growing small electric SUV segment.

Audi released the following images last year:

At 4.59 meters long (180 in), 1.90 meters wide (75 in), 1.61 meters tall (63 in), it’s a bit smaller than the Tesla Model Y, which is expected to be the leader in the segment.

As for the powertrain, Audi says that the Q4 e-tron concept is equipped two electric motors – resulting in an all-wheel-drive system with a total power output of 225 kW.

The company is talking about an acceleration from zero to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 6.3 seconds and a top speed of 180 km/h (111 mph).

An 82 kWh battery pack powers the vehicle for up to 450 km (280 miles) based on the WLTP standard, according to Audi.

The only thing we didn’t know about the Audi Q4 e-tron electric SU is the price.

Now a new report in the latest edition of Car and Driver has a profile of the vehicle and it reports that the price should be $45,000.

However, they also say that it “should arrive sometime in 2021” as many new vehicle programs are being pushed amid the coronavirus crisis.

Electrek’s Take

That’s impressive.

When I first reported on the Audi Q4 e-tron electric SUV, I wrote:

“I’d like to see it start at around $48,000, but I’d be pleasantly surprised if it actually starts under $55,000.”

That was because of the 82 kWh battery pack. With that in mind, $45,000 is truly impressive.

Though we don’t know the details and that price might include the $7,500 federal incentive, but it’s not impossible that it would be before incentive.

Audi is taking advantage of VW’s mass production of the MEB platform which could be bringing the price down enough for $45,000 before incentives.

Either way, it looks like it’s going to be very competitive. The cheapest Tesla Model Y starts at $53,000 right now.