Audi Q4 Sportback 40 e-tron. It’s Audi’s compact electric SUV.
It retains the essence of electric vehicles well. It faithfully adheres to the reason for the existence of eco-friendly vehicles without emissions. It provides spaciousness compared to its class, enhancing practicality. This is a vehicle that prioritizes practicality over performance.
It is more stylish than a typical SUV. With dimensions of 4,590 × 1,865 × 1,620mm and a wheelbase of 2,765mm, it qualifies as a compact SUV. The trunk space expands from a basic 530 liters to a maximum of 1,460 liters. The matrix LED headlights can turn on in four different shapes, allowing you to even choose the shape of the headlamps. This is a digital light signature feature. Using the dedicated MEB platform for electric cars, ample space is secured despite its size, and the steering angle of the front wheels is extended, reducing the turning diameter to 10.2m. The steering wheel rotates 3.2 times.
The roofline gives it a coupé style, sloping down towards the rear. You might wonder about headroom in the back, but upon sitting, I found there’s still enough space for two overlapping palms. There’s a fist’s space in front of the knees.
The interior dashboard also showcases a linear and angular design. Sitting in the seat, pressing the brake, and shifting the gearbox to D allows for immediate departure. You don’t even need to press a separate start button. The B mode can be used to activate regenerative braking. Using the paddles, you can control the regenerative braking function in three stages. By effectively using B mode, you can maximize efficiency.
Equipped with an 82.4kWh lithium-ion battery, it can travel 409km on a single charge, 52km farther than before. The range is now a non-issue in most cases. In the spring and autumn, it’s even possible to exceed 500km, making it feasible to reach anywhere in the country without needing a mid-charge. However, in winter, the range tends to decrease significantly. According to the integrated website for zero-emission vehicles, the low-temperature driving range for this car is 269km.
In real-life driving conditions, the travel range decreases a bit because you cannot utilize 100% of the battery. Most manufacturers recommend charging only up to 80% to protect the battery. When battery levels drop to around 10%, it’s advised to recharge. Therefore, if we consider the usable battery range to be between a minimum of 10% and a maximum of 80%, roughly 70% of the battery capacity is typically utilized. For the test car, I calculated that under normal conditions, it could achieve around 300km and about 200km in winter. Of course, this is a conservative estimate.
The electric motor is mounted on the rear axle, allowing for rear-wheel drive operation. It delivers a peak output of 204 horsepower and maximum torque of 31.6kg.m to the rear wheels. The heaviest component, the battery, is located mid-ship, providing excellent driving stability. This configuration resembles a mid-engine rear-drive structure but achieves an even better driving feel. Even though Audi is known for quattro, rear-wheel drive is perfectly fine here, being an electric vehicle.
The steering characteristics tend to be neutral. While rear-wheel drive typically exhibits oversteer and front-wheel drive shows understeer, this holds true only for engine vehicles; electric vehicles with mid-mounted batteries display neutral characteristics.
Moreover, it’s incredibly quiet. The serene cabin with rear-wheel propulsion is undeniable in everyday driving scenarios, especially up to around 100km/h. Provided you don’t push limits, you can enjoy a stable driving experience and a comfortable interior. Even though it has a top speed limited to 160km/h, there’s no real need to verify that speed since increasing it drastically reduces the efficiency of both the battery and motor.
The curb weight is 2,150kg. It needs to handle that weight with 204 horsepower. The power-to-weight ratio is 10.53kg/hp which is a bit on the heavier side. However, according to the manufacturer, it can reach 100 km/h in just 8.5 seconds. Considering the power and weight ratio, this is surprisingly fast acceleration. Actual GPS measurement during acceleration tests confirms similar results.
Instant acceleration is, of course, what you expect from an electric vehicle. Selecting dynamic mode and pressing the accelerator all the way delivers a powerful thrust.
This model comes with 255/45 R20 tires at the back and 235/50 R20 tires at the front.
The declared combined efficiency is 4.8 km/kWh, but when driven decisively, you can expect even better efficiency. I recorded a real-world efficiency of 7.6 km/kWh over a 56km journey from Paju to Seoul. It’s a remarkable efficiency. If maintained, this could allow for a 600km journey on a single charge.
The augmented reality head-up display projects arrows at intersections, accurately showing directions. It provides necessary information at the needed moments.
The Audi Q4 Sportback 40 e-Tron is sold in two trim levels: base and premium. The base model costs 65.7 million won, while the premium model is priced at 72.7 million won. You can receive government subsidies of 2.41 million won and an additional 630,000 won from the Seoul city.
Has everyone already bought an electric vehicle? The once-rapidly growing electric vehicle market is now sluggish. Government subsidies for electric vehicle purchases remain available as we approach the year’s end, an unusual situation. Typically, support would run out by now, but this year is different. Remaining EV subsidies imply that even with discounts, buyers are hesitant. It’s said that prices are being slashed, and even more subsidies are being added. This counterintuitive market situation is an opportunity to consider buying an electric vehicle. Be sure to examine the conditions before making a judgment.
O Jung-hoon’s direct comment
Is it because they are German cars? They don’t seem to understand Korean well. When I say ‘Gangnam Station’ as my destination, they take me to ‘Gyo-dae Station’ instead, seeking out a church. The incorrect responses were so frequent that I gave up on the voice command feature. Significant improvements are necessary. At this stage, it might even be better to eliminate it altogether.
The rearview mirror’s obstruction by the line of the rear spoiler is slightly bothersome. While it doesn’t greatly hinder visibility, it still demands attention each time you notice it.
O Jung-hoon yes@autodiary.kr
