Audi Q5 E-Tron breaks cover as premium alternative to Volkswagen ID.6

There’s no stopping to Audi’s electric onslaught as the Q4 E-Tron unveiled just a few months ago is getting a bigger brother. Created with the help of its SAIC joint venture in China, the new Q5 E-Tron rides on the same MEB platform and is mechanically related to the Volkswagen ID.6 introduced in the People’s Republic earlier this year.

How related is it? Well, it has the exact same length (192 inches or 4876 millimeters) and wheelbase (116.7 in or 2965 mm) as the ID.6 X sold in China by SAIC. The Audi Q5 E-Tron was unveiled today on the occasion of the Auto Shanghai 2021 looking like an XXL version of the Q4 E-Tron while virtually carrying over the luxurious interior cabin.

The Ingolstadt-based luxury brand will sell the new electric crossover in three different configurations: 35, 40, and 50. The base model will make do with 177 horsepower mounted at the rear and a 55-kWh battery while the midrange version will boost output to 201 hp and upgrade to an 83.4-kWh pack. The top-spec trim level is going to have dual motors enabling all-wheel drive and 302 hp while using the larger of the two batteries.

Much like Volkswagen is doing with the ID.6, the Q5 E-Tron will be sold exclusively in China with three rows, and buyers will get to pick from either a six- or seven-seat layout. The former will be the more luxurious of the two by featuring a second row equipped with captain’s chairs. Taking advantage of the longer roof, Audi will fit a massive panoramic sunroof at an additional cost to let more light come in and give the sensation of an even roomier cabin

Between launching the global Q4 E-Tron / Q4 E-Tron Sportback and the Q5 E-Tron – with all three riding on the MEB platform – Audi is also putting the finishing touches on the Q6 E-Tron. What is it? A more upmarket electric crossover scheduled to be officially unveiled next year with the PPE platform. Co-developed with Porsche, the more sophisticated architecture supports air suspension, torque vectoring, and rear-wheel steering, but it remains to be seen whether Audi’s next EV will get all these goodies.

In addition, the larger E-Tron electric SUV is due to receive a mid-cycle facelift rumored to get a bigger battery and more efficient electric motors to increase the WLTP range from the current 249 to 373 miles. Consequently, the 222-mile EPA rating for the North American version is also expected to significantly increase with the updated version.

Source: Audi