Review: Audi e-tron 55 quattro review, road test

What we have here is Audi’s first mass-produced electric vehicle – the e-tron. The name, however, made its debut in 2009 and appeared on several all-electric and plug-in hybrid Audi concepts, as well as on some limited-run production models. In 2018, however, at this SUV’s curtain raiser, the company paved a definitive direction for the e-tron sub-brand and, henceforth, all its present and future EVs will fall under the e-tron umbrella and flaunt the moniker in their identity; for example, e-tron 55, e-tron GT, Q4 e-tron and so on.

Also not exactly new, is the car in contention, which hit international showrooms in 2019 and set off to a strong start, but supply chain constraints resulted in soaring global waiting periods and subsequent delays. The India-launch, scheduled for 2019, was delayed and that extended further due to the pandemic. So, it is only now, in the middle of 2021, that we are finally getting the e-tron in India. As a result, despite being one of the first luxury manufacturers to have a standalone EV model internationally, Audi lost its advantage in India to both, the Mercedes-Benz, which launched the EQC in 2020, and to Jaguar, which launched the I-Pace earlier this year. For Audi, however, this could be a blessing in disguise, with the competition testing the waters for premium luxury EVs and the broader market awareness and better acceptance of EVs in India, the timing seems just right for the e-tron SUV launch.

To begin with, we will get the ‘55’ variant as well as a ‘55 Sportback’ version, both of which are powered by a 95kWh battery. Interestingly, the company aims to sell over 200 e-trons annually, which might seem like a tall order for a car that costs over Rs 1 crore. So, does it have enough to back its green plates and meet the company target? We put the e-tron 55 through our exhaustive tests to find out.

The 10.1-inch touchscreen is easy to use and it responds well, without any perceptible lag. Touch inputs, however, command some pressure and aren’t feather-light like some modern touchscreens. What’s nice is that it offers an option for a vibratory feedback on click.

Owners will appreciate its oversimplified interface, but those who prefer a variety of EV-related information and displays will certainly be left wanting for more data analytics and screen options. One of its talking points is the 16-speaker 705W Bang and Olufsen sound system, which delivers a clear, yet punchy audio experience.

 

We subjected the e-tron to our standard Autocar city cycles, during which we toggled between max regeneration set manually in one run, and full auto setting in the other. However, in both cases, the ‘Efficiency’ drive mode was used and we had set the climate control to 22degC. We also used the infotainment system, and occasionally the wipers and lights too, which run off the additional 12V battery. Over our city runs, the e-tron averaged a healthy 350km driving range, which is more than adequate for the urban grind, making the e-tron a competent daily driver.

In our highway cycle, with regeneration set to auto and in ‘Efficiency’ drive mode, it returned 382km of range. While short outstation excursions won’t pose much of a challenge for the e-tron, long, inter-city commutes certainly could, owing to the under-developed public charging infrastructure. One must also bear in mind that inclines consume a high amount of energy, thus adversely affecting an EV’s range; so outstation trips to hill stations will need careful planning.

This mode limits max speed to 90kph, turns off climate control to extract a longer range.

If you are running really low, there is also a ‘range mode’ option, which when selected, switches the climate control off, reduces power consumption, and limits the max speed to 90kph, which can provide an additional 40-60km of driving range.

 

As standard, the e-tron is available with two home charging options – the standard 15amp wall socket and an 11kW wall box provided by Audi. Additionally, you can specify your e-tron with higher-wattage, 22kW AC fast-charging capability unlocked from the factory, which would significantly reduce charging times. We tested the 11kW AC wall box charger, and the e-tron replenished 90 percent of its battery from 10-100 percent in around 8 hours.

Missing engine frees up additional storage area under the bonnet.

We also tested its charging at a 25kW Tata Power DC public fast charger, and a mere 15 minutes delivered about 8 percent of charge, enough for a range of about 25-30km, the cost being Rs 106. Average charging bills at home are likely to be in the region of Rs 900 per full charge (0-100 percent), taking into account a high electricity slab of Rs 10 per kWh.

It’s possible to juice up its battery with an additional 20-25km of range in just 15 minutes, using a 25kWh DC fast charger.

 

In order to reach its sales target of 200 units a year, the e-tron will not only have to be a very good EV, but it will also have to deliver as a regular premium SUV. As the latter, it does the job very well – it looks the part, it is spacious and practical, the ride is excellent and performance is very strong. SUVs, however, are also expected to be great long-distance cruisers. While the e-tron’s performance and handling most certainly make it well-suited for the highways, its 382km of highway range isn’t sufficient enough, which is the case with other EVs in its class too.

Air suspension can be raised by 50mm, and also lowered by 39mm from its normal ride height.

Remove the long-distance commuting from the equation, however, and it performs very well as an urban EV. A real-world city range of about 350km makes it more than capable of the routine urban grind, and performance is as smooth and as strong as it gets. So if it’s an easy-to-drive luxury SUV that you seek, one which you’ll enjoy driving without having the slightest guilt of harmful tailpipe emissions, the e-tron deserves a good hard look.

 

In order to reach its sales target of 200 units a year, the e-tron will not only have to be a very good EV, but it will also have to deliver as a regular premium SUV. As the latter, it does the job very well – it looks the part, it is spacious and practical, the ride is excellent and performance is very strong. SUVs, however, are also expected to be great long-distance cruisers. While the e-tron’s performance and handling most certainly make it well-suited for the highways, its 382km of highway range isn’t sufficient enough, which is the case with other EVs in its class too.

Remove the long-distance commuting from the equation, however, and it performs very well as an urban EV. A real-world city range of about 350km makes it more than capable of the routine urban grind, and performance is as smooth and as strong as it gets. So if it’s an easy-to-drive luxury SUV that you seek, one which you’ll enjoy driving without having the slightest guilt of harmful tailpipe emissions, the e-tron deserves a good hard look. Audi has priced the e-tron 55 Quattro at Rs 1.16 crore, with the 50 Quattro coming in at Rs 1 crore (ex-showroom, India).