The
revised Audi Q7 doesn’t just bring the brand’s SUV in line with the rest of the
range in terms of design, it also introduces a new plug-in hybrid powertrain
offered in two power outputs: the Q7 55 TFSIe and the Q7 60 TFSIe.
The new plug-in hybrid Audi Q7 is using the company’s turbocharged
3.0-liter V6 TFSI engine, which produces 335 HP and 450 Nm of torque. Combined with an electric motor, the system output for the Q7 55
TFSIe is set at 375 HP and 600 Nm)while the more powerful
Q7 60 TFSIe offers 450 HP and 700 Nm.
The
electric motor is integrated into the housing of the eight-speed automatic
transmission while a liquid-cooled 17.3 kWh lithium-ion battery pack provides
the necessary electric energy. Audi claims that both plug-in hybrid models
offer a pure electric driving range of up to 26.7 miles (43 km) on the WLTP
cycle.
When
in boost mode, the 2020 Audi Q7 60 TFSIe is capable of a 0-100 km/h in
5.7 seconds (55 TFSIe : 5.9 seconds) and of a 250 km/h top speed.
Drivers can use the electric motor alone to reach speeds of up to 135
km/h. Fuel economy is rated at a combined 94 mpg
UK (3lt/100km), with CO2 emissions set between 64 and 69g/km.
Audi’s
latest PHEV model comes with an advanced hybrid management system that starts
the vehicle in the fully electric ‘EV’ mode. In addition, the ‘Hybrid’ mode
offers two options: “Auto” and “Hold”, with the former choosing which mix of
petrol/electric power to use when the route guidance is selected, saving most
of the electric power for driving within the city and in heavy traffic. If you
choose “Hold”, then the battery’s existing level is retained, thanks to the
onboard brake energy recovery system, to use it when preferred.
The
hybrid system also features the so-called “freewheeling”, which switches the
engine off and recuperates the kinetic energy back to the battery; Audi claims
that the system can recover up to 25 kW of power this way. Audi plans to launch no less than five new
plug-in hybrid models in Europe by the end of this year, including the Q7, Q5,
A8, A6 and A7 Sportback.
