Audi’s first-ever all-electric SUV, the E-tron, will soon be launched on the market and the automaker is gradually revealing the capabilities of the silent beast. Audi promises to offer the E-tron with internal combustion-like impressive dynamics, but zero-emissions. Can it convince the customers?

The E-tron Is The Lord Of The Ring

The electric Quattro system in the E-tron features a new level of continuous and variable regulation of the torque between the two axles, taking just 30 milliseconds between detecting the driving situation, and delivering the required torque from the electric motors.

After all, Seeing Is Believing

To show it to the world, Audi took a few near-production prototypes to a dried-out salt lake located on the edge of the Kalahari desert. The place was a perfect terrain for the E-tron to unleash, and show its rugged-side. The hard gravel surface also let Audi demonstrate the electric Quattro all-wheel-drive system and do some drifting there.

One-Of-Its-Kind

Audi has creatively integrated the handling controller of the Quattro drive and the wheel-selective torque control within the central suspension control unit, thus making full use of the SUV’s electric unit. Audi has used a setup like this for the first time. If the system detects the driver to be understeering, it will gently brake the inside wheels and direct the torque to the outside, allowing the car to return to the proper trajectory. The battery pack in the E-tron is located in the floor, between the axels, giving it a near-perfect balance of 50:50 axle load distribution.

Also, wheel slip is controlled 50-times faster. The Electronic Stability Control features four-stage function modes, allowing the driver to choose his optimal setting depending on driving conditions. The E-tron comes with standard dynamic handling system that offers seven profiles to choose from, which in turns adapts the drivetrain, the steering, and the air suspension. Thanks to this, the SUV can lower itself by 26mm (1.0 inch) on the highway for better aerodynamics, while it can lift itself by 50mm (2 inches) when Offroad mode is activated.

Our Take

The way Audi is explaining the E-tron’s features and capabilities; it shows that people are still skeptical about whether electric vehicles are as strong and robust as the internal combustion ones. It may take a little time for customers to get around it, but they will soon get used to it; or should I say, they won’t have an option few years down the line to be snobby. Share your thoughts in the comments section below.

Further Reading

Read our full speculative review on the 2019 Audi E-tron Quattro.

Read our full review on the 2020 Audi E-Tron GT.