Audi takes every chance it gets to remind us of its intentions to bring a whole range of electric vehicles that will, given enough time, eventually replace its entire lineup of gasoline and diesel-drinking models. The most recent model includes the Audi e-tron Quattro concept, an SUV slated for production in 2018. But, Audi is also one of those brands that likes to blur the line between car and SUV, so it has come up with another concept called the e-tron Sportback Concept – basically another interpretation of the Quattro concept with a lower roof, slanted rear, and a few other unique styling cues. It even uses the same electric drivetrain as it’s taller-sitting brethren, which means it gets a 96-kWh battery pack, three electric motors, and an estimated range of about 310 miles. A fast-charging system could offer up as much as 248 miles with as little as 30 minutes of DC charging. And, you’ll probably be able to buy one by the turn of the decade, as Audi as said it will be introduced in production form shortly after the e-tron Quattro for the 2019 model year.

So, if you haven’t come to terms with the fact that electric cars are on their way up, you better get used to it. With more than 300 miles to a charge, up to 496 horsepower on demand, and the ability to charge extremely quickly, Tesla isn’t the only heavy-hitter on the block anymore. The technology is finally there to ease range anxiety, and Audi is planning to capitalize on this early in the game. But, for now, this little “coupish-SUV” is just a concept. It’s a strong preview of a production model, so let’s take a good look at it and see what the future holds in store for us.

2017 Audi e-tron Sportback Concept

Specifications
  • Make: Array
  • Model: 2017 Audi e-tron Sportback Concept
  • Horsepower: 496
  • [do not use] Vehicle Model: Array
Pros
Cons

Exterior

The e-tron Quattro concept looked a little more production ready than the e-tron Sportback, but that doesn’t mean the production model will look quite similar to what you see here. Audi has managed to preserve its signature nose despite the lack of a radiator grille, while the running light trips have been integrated into that large insert on the fascia. The e-tron Quattro had production-looking headlights, but this Sportback has these long LED strips for running lights with a large column of LED lights recessed into the body just above them. A small lip down below offers up a bit of aggressiveness while preserving the look we’re fairly used to among a lot of futuristic design. The concept doesn’t have a tradition hood as we know it, but this area of the body offers up some sharp design cues that five the front end a bit of extra height.

Moving over to the sides, you’ll notice a lot of the same cues that you saw on the e-tron Quattro Concept, but more refined. The Sportback Concept has beefy front fenders and rear haunches. Where things differ here, however, is that the sharp body lines of the rear quarters and fenders are now separated with a crease in the body just below them for a unique look. Down below, the Sportback gets the same styling we say on the Quattro, but the side skirts are toned down a bit while the area just above gets a long LED strip that helps to define the side profile. Of particular note here is the fact that the roof slopes down rather violently beyond the front doors, leaving little room for rear quarter glass. This model is also void of any door handles but does have the side view cameras mounted to the beltline.

Around back, the first thought that comes to mind here is “bubble butt.” It’s a rash generalization as there’s really not anything that bubbly going on back here, but the sloop of the rear hatch and the rounded appearance above the beltline area gives the concept an interesting look, to say the least. Honestly, it reminds me a lot of the rear of the Porsche Panamera, but that’s no surprise, really. After all, we’re talking about Audi here, and no brand under the VAG umbrella has had a unique idea in quite some time. The taillights on this concept feature a matrix layout similar to that of the Quattro Concept but have been fashioned so that together they look like a two-sided arrow. The rear fascia is quite obsolete as far as style goes, but down below there is a bit of cladding to add some character.

If you want to envision what the production version of this model will look like, cut down the size of the wheels, add door handles and side view mirrors, and replace those front lights with Audi’s current headlight design. That should be a fair expectation for the production model to live up to, but then again, Audi has been known to tone things down considerably, so the production model might not be as good looking. We’ll just have to wait and see.

Interior

Note: e-tron Quattro concept interior pictured here.

Audi didn’t release any official shots of the Sportback Concept’s interior, but it did release a pair of renderings that points to the interior looking quite similar to that of the e-tron Quattro concept with a few differences. The instrument cluster features a unique design and is all digital. Meanwhile, the center stack features a design that’s quite similar to that of the Quattro concept but a little more angular. It’s also flanked by a smaller display that sits ahead of the passenger and displays the current time, temperature, etc. The steering wheel shown off in the rendering is nearly identical to that of the Quattro Concept, but it is more angular on top. This may not carry over to the production model, but we really hope it does – it’s quite sporty, to say the least.

The side view cameras of the Quattro Concept display on smaller, triangular screens on the door trim panels, but on the Sportback, the view is displayed in the outer corners of the dash. Another interesting thing about these interior renderings is the design of the center console. Now, I wouldn’t expect to see something like this in a production model, but the design shown here would help to create a large feeling of space for front-seat passengers. It features an open design in the middle with the ends curled over to provide a base for the digital HVAC controls up front and an armrest to the rear.

Of course, this is a very futuristic design, and I suspect the interior of the production model will be toned down significantly. It will likely resemble something similar to that of the Quattro Concept with a mix of Audi’s latest interior design cues. Expect to see a more modern center console and a more toned down dash. Mirrors will replace the side view cameras, so the interior will be void of any displays for an external mirror system. A digital rear view mirror isn’t exactly out of the question, but we’ll have to wait and see what happens when Audi decides to spill the beans about the upcoming production model. However, we’ll be seeing the Quattro Concept much sooner, so we’ll be able to look to that for some hints toward the interior of the Sportback production model.

Drivetrain

This concept makes use of the same driveline found in the Quattro Concept. That means that it has three electric motors – one to drive the front wheels and two to drive the rear wheels. A 95-kWh battery sits in the floor between the two axles and provides up to 310 miles of range on a single charge. Furthermore, it is liquid cooled and, because of its position, allows for a low center of gravity and a 52:48 weight distribution between the two axles. Audi claims that this offers “outstanding driving dynamics and safety”, but we’ll have to wait until we get our hands on a real production model to verify that bit of PR juice. All told, the driveline delivers a total of 320 kW or 429 horsepower, but can be boosted to as much as 370 kW or 496 horsepower in “boost mode.” Audi claims the concept can hit 62 mph in 4.5 seconds but has remained silent about top speed.

As of now, that’s all we know about the electric drive of this concept, and it’s probably all we’ll hear about it until we see the production version in the next year or too.

Conclusion

I have to say that I’m impressed with Audi’s desire to bring a bunch of all-electric models to the market, but the fact that it always previews them as over-the-top, futuristic models is really quite annoying. Instead of showing us interior and exterior design that we might actually see in 20 years, make these preview models production ready so that we really have an idea of what to expect in the next couple of years. Not that I don’t like the idea of side view cameras, all-digital controls, and outrageous design, but it isn’t really feasible, and outside of the electronics a lot of what we see here will never see the light of day outside of a production model – at least not for some time anyway. Surely, we’ll end up with digital displays for side view and rear view mirrors, but things like the futuristic headlights and funky space-ship-looking design is quite the reach. Then again, maybe I’m wrong, and the production model of the Sportback will look just like this. One can hope, anyway, right? What do you think about the concept? Would you like to see it enter production exactly as it is, or would you prefer it to be toned down? Let’s talk about it in the comments section below.