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2021 Audi e-tron S: superfast electric SUV due in Australia next year

Audi is out to prove electric cars don’t need to be boring, or slow.


The German car maker has released details on the Audi e-tron S electric SUV range ahead of its Australian arrival in the second half of next year.

It promises sports-car performance – with a 0 to 100kmh time of 4.5 seconds – and has an “overboost” mode that delivers a phenomenal 370kW/973Nm output for up to eight seconds, designed for safer overtaking.

Even in normal mode, the Audi e-tron S has a healthy output of 320kW/808Nm; the torque rating is higher than that of a new generation Porsche 911 Turbo, one of the fastest cars on the road.

 

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The Audi e-tron S SUV and coupe models have two electric motors on the rear axle and one driving the front wheels. Audi says they are the first mass produced electric cars in the world with three motors. 

The battery pack – made up of 36 modules, each with 12 cells – has a gross capacity of 95 kWh, of which 91 per cent (86 kWh) is usable. 

Audi claims the e-tron S SUVs can travel a maximum of 360km to 365km between recharges, based on data gathered from real world “WLTP” test protocols.

 

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The distance is different on the coupe versus the SUV because one slips through the air better than the other. Audi says the coupe has an aero coefficient of just 0.26cD, while the rating for the SUV is 0.28cD.

The suspension has seven driving profiles, with up to 76mm of travel, depending on conditions and settings.

To keep the power in the road, 285 series 20-inch tyres are standard. The electronically controlled brakes activate six-piston calipers up front, and a floating caliper at the rear. Audi says the electronically controlled brakes work faster than a conventional system, applying full pressure with the discs in just 150 milliseconds, the company claims.

 

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“The brake control system decides individually for each axle whether the car will decelerate with the electric motors, the wheel brakes, or a combination of both systems,” says Audi.

Using a 150kW direct current (DC) charger, the Audi e-tron S SUV and Coupe can reach up to 80 per cent battery capacity in about half an hour, says Audi.

The interior of the e-tron gains S ‘sport’ highlights and in Europe is available with the option of side view cameras rather than mirrors.

The price and specification for Australian models will be released closer to its local showroom arrival in the second half of next year.

However, given the base Audi e-tron 50 model starts from $137,700 plus on-road costs, and the Audi e-tron 55 starts from $146,000 plus on-road costs, the Audi e-tron S variants are expected to be priced closer to $200,000 by the time they're on the road.

 

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Joshua Dowling

Joshua Dowling has been a motoring journalist for more than 20 years, spending most of that time working for The Sydney Morning Herald (as motoring editor and one of the early members of the Drive team) and News Corp Australia. He joined CarAdvice / Drive in 2018, and has been a World Car of the Year judge for more than 10 years.

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