At least two battery-powered Audis will arrive before the end of the decade

By Ronan Glon September 17, 2015

audi ev plan news details rumors e tron quattro concept front angle 2 1500x1000 — Image used with permission by copyright holder

Audi isn’t shy about admitting that the e-tron quattro concept (pictured) that was shown at the Frankfurt Motor Show has already been given the green light for production. It will become the Volkswagen-owned car maker isn’t stopping there, and it promises to launch at least one additional all-electric model before the end of the decade.

Built to compete in different segments, the two EVs will be driver-focused, high-tech and they will offer a generous driving range in a bid to quell range anxiety. The aforementioned e-tron quattro concept can drive for up to 310 miles on a single charge thanks to a brand new battery pack designed with input from LG Chem and Samsung, and upcoming advances in battery technology are expected to further improve that statistic.

In short, Audi has made it clear that it doesn’t want its EVs to be merely compliance models, a term that applies to cars built reluctantly — and often at a financial loss — simply to comply with market-specific laws and regulations.

“Unlike a lot of other people we feel quite optimistic that if we build the right [battery-electric car], there will be a market,” explained Scott Keogh, the president of Audi’s American division, in an interview with trade journal Automotive News (subscription required).

Electric vehicles are set to become an increasingly important part of the Audi lineup. Executives predict that approximately a quarter of the company’s sales in the United States will come from battery-powered models in 2030.

What’s next?

The roughly Q7-sized e-tron quattro isn’t scheduled to land in showrooms for at least another three years. Audi will launch a series of gasoline-electric plug-in hybrid models over the coming years in order to fill the gap.

The recently announced A3 Sportback e-tron will go on sale in a couple of months with a base price of $37,900 before federal tax credits and incentives are factored in. A plug-in Q7 will arrive next year, and a gasoline-electric version of the next-generation A8 is expected to go on sale shortly after the standard gasoline-powered model.

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Ronan Glon is an American automotive and tech journalist based in southern France. As a long-time contributor to Digital…

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