On Wednesday, Audi revealed its new Q4 E-Tron electric SUV the company’s cheapest electric model, with a starting price of $45,000.
With federal electric vehicle tax credits, that means it should effectively cost $37,500 in its least expensive version. That’s slightly less than a Tesla Model 3 sedan and much less than a Tesla Model Y SUV. (Tesla vehicles are not currently eligible for federal tax credits.)
While there are more luxury electric crossovers entering the market few, so far, cost nearly as little as the Q4, which is priced similarly to the Ford Mustang Mach-E. The Volvo XC40 Recharge, for instance, costs almost $9,000 more to start.
Audi isn’t revealing the prices for the more expensive versions of its new SUV yet, though. Those details will come closer to when the Q4 E-Tron goes on sale by the end of this year. The entry-level Q4 E-Tron will have rear-wheel-drive, not all-wheel drive, though more expensive versions will have all-wheel-drive.) The least expensive model will be able to go about 250 miles on a charge, according to the German luxury brand.
The base model’s electric motor will provide a maximum output of 201 horsepower. More expensive all-wheel-drive versions, which will have electric motors in the front and back of the vehicle, will be able to produce up to 295 horsepower.
The Q4 E-Tron will be available in two slightly different body shapes, a regular crossover SUV and the Sportback version.
The Sportback, which will be available only with all-wheel-drive, will have a more sloped rear end. Besides the aesthetic difference, this shape also has slightly better aerodynamics. In all-wheel-drive versions of the Q4 E-Tron, the front motor will be used only in situations where more power or traction is needed. Most of the time, the SUV will be driven by its rear wheels alone.
