Audi will launch electric line with E-Tron SUV
Mon, Oct 17 2016
Autocar spoke with Audi chairman Rupert Stadler, who said Audi's new electric SUV will be called the E-Tron. He told the publication the naming scheme would be similar to how Audi introduced Quattro all-wheel drive with a car named after the feature. Also like Quattro, Stadler said other Audi models with electrified powertrains will receive E-Tron suffixes. In a way, it will be like BMW's naming scheme with the i sub-brand; some models are just referred to by the i designation, while normal models with hybrid or electric powertrains have names such as iPerformance. Autocar also revealed that other electric-only E-Tron models will come later, probably in the forms of a hatchback and a sedan.
This news also shows that Audi hasn't given up on electric car development. Just last week, the company killed off its R8 E-Tron electric supercar. While the move raised some eyebrows here, since the R8 E-Tron could have been a great electric halo car for the new brand, it seems Audi is more interested in mass-market electric vehicles. The R8 E-Tron, which cost $1,000,000, sold fewer than 100 units and could only be purchased by getting in touch with Audi directly, didn't really fit that bill.
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Featured Gallery Audi E-Tron Quattro: Frankfurt 2015
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- News Source: Autocar
- Image Credit: Copyright 2016 Jonathon Ramsey / AOL
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- Marketing/Advertising
- Audi
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- Electric
- e-tron
- quattro
- r8 e-tron
By Joel Stocksdale
See also: Audi rumored to leave top-tier endurance racing after 2017, The Audi R8 e-tron is dead with less than 100 built, Volkswagen Group recalls 281,505 VWs and Audis for fuel leaks.