The Audi Q4 e-tron X-rayed: Analysis by InsideEVs

Available as both an SUV and an SUV-coupe, Audi's electric vehicle, based on the MEB platform, has recently been updated.

Audi Q4 etron X-Rayed

By: Pietro Cardone

Published by: Brian Potter

Feb 4, 2024 at 4:35am ET

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When Volkswagen designed the MEB platform for its new family of electric cars, it had planned from the outset to use it for almost all the Group's brands. This included Audi, which already had an electric car (the e-tron, now the Q8 e-tron) and was able to expand its zero-emission range thanks to the MEB.

This was done with the Q4 e-tron, a sort of electric brother to the Q5, which comes in two body variants: SUV and SUV-coupe, the latter being called Sportback, in keeping with the logic of identifying the models of the company with the four rings.

An SUV for a big market

Presented at the 2019 Geneva Motor Show, the Q4 e-tron was announced as a key model in Audi's zero-emissions strategy. In the words of the company's senior management, it has been placed at the "heart of the market". Because it's an SUV (and SUVs have over 50% of the market share) and because it's the right size to meet the needs of many drivers.

Audi Q4 e-tron

Audi Q4 e-tron Sportback

At 4.59 metres long, it's halfway between the Q3 and the Q5. But in terms of price and interior space, it's much closer to the latter. The Q4 e-tron is produced at the Brussels plant, which, in keeping with the green nature of the car it builds, is carbon-neutral thanks to the adoption of an extensive photovoltaic system and water recycling system, and the implementation of a series of environmental protection initiatives.

Length : 4.59 metres
Width : 1.87 metres
Height : 1.63 metres
Wheelbase : 2.77 metres
Boot capacity : 520 to 1,490 litres

100% Audi DNA

Unmistakably Audi in its looks, the Q4 e-tron is characterised by a personal style that respects the brand's codes but reinterprets them in a series of elements that also serve to underline its electric nature. First and foremost is the closed radiator grille, which improves aerodynamics.

The car also uses the lower part of the front bumper to direct airflow towards the flat floor and has special alloy wheels, some of which are almost solid, again to minimise vortexes and turbulence. One detail: unlike many other electric vehicles on the market, the Q4 e-tron does not opt for door handles flush with the body, but instead uses a conventional system.

Le fond plat de l'Audi Q4 e-tron

Inside, the environment is spacious and well-appointed. From the driver's seat, the impression of being in a high-tech car is evident thanks to a dashboard with straight lines and bold, lively styling that conveys a sense of robustness and modernity. Thanks to the purely electric nature of the platform, occupants have plenty of space. Even if you're sitting in the back, you're never sacrificed in terms of height or legroom.

There's Alexa too

Among the model's innovations is the new 3.2 software, which intervenes both mechanically and in terms of infotainment. On the mechanical side, it improves powertrain management and efficiency by optimising fuel consumption and recharging power. On the other, it enhances the entertainment system with the Alexa advanced voice assistant and other functions. The most interesting of these is the ability to remotely manage charging and programme charging times (but you need to be connected to a home system).

The Q4 e-tron is also equipped with a new panoramic head-up display called AR Creator, with augmented reality, which uses the entire surface of the windscreen (70 inches) to project information of various kinds. It sits alongside the screens that are still present behind the steering wheel and in the centre of the passenger compartment, at 10.25" and 10.1" (or 11.6") respectively.

2022 Audi Q4 E-Tron Interno

The 3.2 software, which can be installed on all Q4 e-tron models, even those produced before 2023, is also compatible with over-the-air updates, allowing new options and improvements to be introduced without having to visit a workshop.

Rear or all-wheel drive

Revamped for the 2024 model year, the Audi Q4 e-tron also undergoes mechanical changes. It is now only available in versions 45 (an evolution of the old 40) and 55. This choice is justified by the power injection resulting directly from the adoption of the new electric motor manufactured by Volkswagen: the one mounted on the rear axle and capable of delivering 286 PS instead of the previous 204.

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The car is available with a single battery pack, the largest of the three offered on the MEB platform, with a gross capacity of 82 kWh and a net capacity of 77 kWh. In addition to the various equipment options, the Q4 can be chosen as a rear-wheel drive version (45 e-tron), with a single electric motor and 286 PS (with torque of 545 Nm), or as a four-wheel drive version (55 e-tron), with one motor per axle and a total output of 340 PS. The former accelerates from 0 to 62 mph in 6.7 seconds, the latter in 5.4 seconds.

More X-Ray Analysis:

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Recharging in 29 minutes

Thanks to software innovations, the Audi Q4 e-tron can recharge at a power of 135 kW. This enables the car to go from 5% to 80% in 29 minutes. On a full charge, the 45 e-tron promises a range of 349 miles (562 kilometres), while the 55 e-tron, because of its greater power, claims a slightly lower figure.

Audi Q4 45 e-tron Audi Q4 55 e-tron Battery 77 kWh 77 kWh Charging 135 kW 135 kW Range 349 miles - Max. power 286 PS 340 PS Max. torque 545 Nm 545 Nm 0 to 100 km/h 6.7 seconds 5.4 seconds Max. speed 112 mph 112 mph