byHot on the heels of last year's all-electric e-tron SUV launch, Audi is introducing a new, sleek variant designed to make a statement. Like a lot of coupe-like SUVs, the 2020 Audi e-tron Sportback can be thought of as a regular e-tron with a tapering rear roofline. As a result, expect rear-seat headroom and cargo capacity to be smaller.
Look for the Sportback in showrooms in the summer of 2020 with a starting price just above that of the standard e-tron SUV. Both share the same 95-kWh battery pack and separate motors for the front and rear axles.
Power output is also the same, at 355 horsepower and 413 lb-ft of torque in normal mode and 402 hp and 489 lb-ft in Boost mode, but only for 8 seconds. In Edmunds testing, the standard e-tron accelerated to 60 mph in 5.5 seconds, which is 0.2 second quicker than Audi's estimate. We expect the Sportback to return similar, if not slightly quicker times.
In the all-important range column, the Sportback is estimated to travel up to 218 miles per charge. In comparison, the standard e-tron's range is 204 miles, and the Sportback's revised aerodynamic profile probably helps it out on this front. Its range won't grab many headlines, but it'll be more than enough for most owners day to day. On longer trips, the e-tron can plug in to Electrify America's growing network of fast chargers to quickly fill the battery. Using a 150-kW charging station, the e-tron can add about 170 miles of range in 30 minutes.
Except for a few elements, the 2020 Audi e-tron Sportback will be outfitted similar to the regular e-tron. Audi is emphasizing the inclusion of matrix LED headlights that selectively block illumination to keep other drivers and pedestrians from getting dazzled by the e-tron's lights at night. Sadly, these systems are not yet available to U.S. customers because of the Department of Transportation's outdated rules. Should the government law change in the future, this feature can be activated with an over-the-air update. These updates also apply to other tech features in the e-tron.
From the outside, the e-tron and the Sportback have nearly identical dimensions. The Sportback's roofline reduces rear-seat headroom by 0.8 inch, and the 21.7-cubic-foot trunk capacity is 6.8 cubic feet smaller than the e-tron's. It's not a total loss, though, since the Sportback's slightly longer range should pay dividends. It also comes standard with larger touchscreen displays that are upgrades on the e-tron.
