2022 Audi Q4 e-tron – Has the Model Y Met Its Match?
By Edward A. Sanchez – April 16, 2021
When the Audi e-tron SUV came into the market in 2019, competitors and consumers watched with interest and curiosity, but evidently not with a great deal of enthusiasm, based on its modest sales of 47,324 units globally in 2020. For comparison, Tesla sold 442,511 combined units of the Model 3 and Model Y globally the same year. Tesla does not individually break out sales between the Model 3 and Model Y, but it’s believed the Model Y is comprising an increasingly greater percentage of sales between the two models. With the introduction of the 2022 Q4 e-tron and Q4 e-tron Sportback, Audi is making it clear that it is looking to become a more serious contender in the mid-premium EV crossover space.
Size-wise, the Q4 e-tron is the smallest of the three at 180.7 inches long. For reference, the e-tron is 193 inches and the Model Y is 187 inches. For comparative purposes, the Model X is 198 inches long and the Jaguar I-Pace is 184 inches long. Interestingly, the Q4 e-tron is very close in size to its MEB platform-mate VW ID.4, which has a 181-inch overall length. Both the ID.4 and Q4 e-tron are built at the VW Group plant in Zwickau, Germany.
Audi is claiming an EPA range of 250 miles for the 77 kWh (net) Q4 e-tron 40.
Power output is also similar to its mainstream cousin, with the rear-drive Q4 40 model rated at 150 kW (201 hp), and the dual-motor Q4 50 model rated at 220 kW (295 hp). A close view of the production line photographs confirm the Q4 e-tron also shares the ID.4’s rear drum brakes. Although this may seem like a shockingly pedestrian piece of hardware for a premium brand, VW’s (and Audi’s) justification for them is that the regenerative braking offered by the electric powertrain makes the need for rear discs unnecessary, as the front brakes shoulder most of the braking load, and the regenerative system can safely handle the rest. For quotidian crossover duty, that may be the case. Extended, repeated heavy braking in the setting of a road course may test the limits of this hypothesis.
All versions of the Q4 e-tron will feature a battery pack with a useable 77 kWh capacity (82 kWh gross capacity). Like many other EVs coming onto the market, the Q4 utilizes a heat pump system to maximize efficiency of the climate control system. Estimated range for the Q4 40 model is 250 miles, although official EPA range ratings are pending.
A target price of $45,000 before tax incentives makes the Audi Q4 e-tron SUV quite enticing.
No dynamic performance claims were released for the Q4 e-tron, but going by the ID.4 as a guide, the rear-drive Q4 40 trim should be able to accelerate from 0-60 in around 8 seconds flat, with the dual-motor 50 model expected to make the benchmark sprint in around 6 seconds flat.
With the Model Y performance capable of doing 0-60 in 3.5 seconds, and even the entry-level (although seldomly configured or purchased, and reportedly now-discontinued) rear-wheel-drive Model Y rated at 5.3 seconds, the Q4 e-tron clearly doesn’t play in the same league performance-wise. But that may not matter to potential buyers. Audi has established itself as a prestige brand, and many buyers may be perfectly content with the performance offered by the Q4.
The Audi Q4 e-tron Sportback offers a sportier look and a 0.26 coefficient of drag compared to the standard Q4 e-tron’s 0.28.
The critical factor is pricing, and Audi has announced that it is targeting a base price for the 40 model of “under $45,000” and that it expects it to qualify for federal rebates of up to $7,500, potentially making it an under-$40,000 proposition. At that price point, the Q4 competes with the lower-trim models of the Mustang Mach-E, and even the Kia Niro EV. Considering its compact size, that pricing may not seem like a screaming bargain, but it is certainly competitive for a premium brand.
Depending on the pricing of the Kia EV6 and Hyundai Ioniq 5, as well as upcoming models from other brands, the Q4 e-tron may find itself it the sweet spot of affordability and brand aspiration that will make it a hit. However, the Tesla Model Y has proven itself to be a formidable competitor in the EV crossover space that seems to only be gaining momentum. Let the games begin.
(Images courtesy Audi)
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