Audi has chosen the
emirate of Abu Dhabi as a location for the international media launch of the
all-new e-tron all-electric crossover. On a route taking them from Masdar City
to Jebel Hafeet, the second highest mountain in the United Arab Emirates,
journalists from all over the world are able to assess the 2019 Audi e-tron’s
driving characteristics for the first time. The test route includes highways
and twisty roads, as well as gravel tracks and sand.
After all, the
e-tron is an SUV that should not be afraid to go off the beaten track. Audi
claims that the electric crossover “demonstrates its excellent traction and
dynamics” on loose surfaces thanks to the quattro electric all-wheel-drive
system.
In the quest for
more traction, AWD is assisted by numerous chassis systems including a
four-stage electronic stabilization control and the standard Audi drive select
system. Furthermore, the standard air suspension increases the e-tron’s ground
clearance by 50 mm on off-road terrain and lowers it by up to 26 mm at highway speeds.
They show the
electric SUV in several colors, including the exclusive Antigua Blue. While the
latter fits the e-tron perfectly, Catalunya Red and Siam Beige look at least as
good. As you’ve probably noticed by now, all the cars in the gallery feature
rearview cameras, even though those aren’t road-legal everywhere (the USA being
one of those places).
They definitely
look cool though and give the car a more futuristic appearance. Speaking of
which, there aren’t that many futuristic-looking elements on the e-tron besides
the rearview cameras, aero-sculpted alloys, and front grille with active
shutters (used to cool electronic components). It pretty much looks like your
average Audi SUV, which might ultimately be a good thing.
Most buyers don’t
want an electric car whose appearance screams “I am electric” by adopting
questionable styling traits. So instead, they might look for EVs with modern
yet not outlandish designs. In this respect, the e-tron fits the bill just
fine.
That goes for the
interior as well, as other non-electric Audis such as the Q8, A8, A7 and A6
feature similar triple-screen dashboards. However, the e-tron has two more
screens when equipped with the rearview cameras, one on each door.
