Audi launched the all-new E-tron in the Netherlands
today and Autoweek.nl reports the company used its so-called “Mission Zero”
event to tease two upcoming electric vehicles. First and foremost, the company revealed
a darkened teaser image which shows a compact electric crossover. The image
isn’t very revealing, but it shows the concept will have a prominent grille and
large air intakes. We can also slender headlights, massive wheels and a strong
shoulder line.
Little is known about the model, but Audi’s head of
exterior design, Andreas Mindt, reportedly suggested the concept will spawn a
production model which is intended to sell in higher numbers than the E-tron
and E-tron GT. Mindt went to imply the crossover will ride on the MEB platform
that will underpin of a number of upcoming electric models such as the
Volkswagen ID hatchback.
The crossover concept is slated to be unveiled at
the Geneva Motor Show and the site believes it could have a range of approximately 300 km. Besides talking about the upcoming concept, Mindt confirmed the
production version of the E-tron Sportback concept will be introduced later
this year. The model is expected to use the same powertrain as the standard
E-tron which features a 95 kWh lithium-ion battery pack that powers two
electric motors which develop a combined output of up to 402 hp and 664 Nm of torque. This enables the crossover to accelerate
from 0-100 km/h in as little as 5.7 seconds and have a combined
range of 417 km in the WLTP cycle.
The site posted a new teaser image of the crossover
and it reveals the production model will have slender headlights, video camera
side mirrors and a sporty roofline which echoes those seen on the A5 and A7
Sportback.
In related news, the site says Audi CEO Bram Schot
confirmed the PB18 E-tron concept will be going into limited production. Only
50 units are slated to be built, but little else is known about the car at this
point.
The concept debuted the at the 2018 Pebble Beach
Concours d’Elegance and featured a solid-state battery and three electric
motors which could produce up to 764 hp and 830
Nm of torque. This enabled the car to accelerate from 0-100 km/h in
“scarcely more” than two seconds.