Audi unveils electric e-tron in Tesla’s backyard – with help from Amazon
The mid-sized SUV, designed to recharge more quickly than rival electric cars, will be offered in the US next year at a starting price of US$75,795
German luxury car brand Audi on Monday staged the global launch of a new electric sport utility vehicle (SUV) on the home turf of rival Tesla Inc, and highlighted a deal with Amazon.com Inc to make recharging its forthcoming e-tron models easier.
The Audi e-tron mid-sized SUV will be offered in the United States next year at a starting price of US$75,795 before a US$7,500 tax credit. It is one of a volley of electric vehicles coming from Volkswagen AG brands, as well as other European premium brands including Daimler-owned Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Volvo Cars and Jaguar Land Rover.
All aim to expand the market for premium electric vehicles and also to grab a share of that market from Palo Alto, California-based Tesla, which has had the niche largely to itself.
“I want Audi to be the number-one electric vehicle seller in America over the long term,” Audi of America president Scott Keogh said on Monday.
Audi dealers, particularly those from California where Tesla has made significant inroads, cheered the e-tron at Monday night’s crowded event. Analysts on Tuesday expressed concern that the vehicle’s driving range may not measure up to the Tesla Model X.
Audi officials said they do not have official range estimates for the e-tron SUV under US testing procedures. They said the vehicle should achieve a range under less rigorous European testing standards of roughly 250 miles or 400km.
Keogh told attendees at Monday’s event that an e-tron had made a 175-mile journey over the mountains east of San Francisco with range to spare. He also emphasised that the e-tron is designed to recharge more rapidly than rival electric vehicles.