Audi e-tron

Official new car sales data released today shows 558 electric vehicles were reported as sold during January and February of 2021, an increase of 105.1 per cent over the same months last year. The increase could be higher if Tesla sales were included in official data. Although Tesla has been selling cars in Australia since 2014, it does not provide monthly sales updates.

The 2021 Audi RS E-Tron GT will use a tri-electric motor set up, reportedly boasting more than 520kW of power. Despite the E-Tron GT being based on the all-electric Porsche Taycan, it's believed the Audi will receive an additional electric motor and more power, according to a report from UK publication Auto Express.

Having spent a solid day behind the wheel of the 2021 Audi E-Tron, it's hard not to be impressed by some of the technical detail that underpins Audi's new electric SUV. Like Tesla's over the air updates and clever app-based controllability, BMW's extensive use of recycled materials inside the i3, and the way Nissan is looking to repurpose old Leaf electric hatch batteries as fixed power solutions in another life, electric vehicles bring with them a different way of thinking.

The Audi e-tron electric SUV and the Volkswagen T-Cross city SUV have each earned five-star safety ratings by the Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) ahead of their arrival in local showrooms. Both cars were tested by Euro NCAP and subject to a full-width frontal collision at 50km/h, a dynamic offset frontal collision at 64km/h – due to 2019 testing standards – side impact at 50km/h, a side pole impact at 32km/h, and whiplash assessment for front and rear occupants.

Audi Sport is embracing electrification, planning a range of plug-in hybrid and battery-electric vehicles wearing S and RS badges. Autocar reports the upcoming battery-electric e-tron GT will follow Audi’s traditional model structure by offering regular, S and RS models. The e-tron Sportback may also follow suit, according to Audi design boss Andreas Mindt. A fettled version of the regular e-tron SUV has already been spied testing at the Nürburgring.