The Audi E-tron S Sportback seems like an impressive option, but that’s not surprising as it was supposed to be. What’s surprising is that it’s not impressive enough, as there are better similar options. This is a new era for electric cars, and so far the focus has been on numbers and how big they are like battery size, price, power and torque levels, and range. Audi has been going well in this regard, adding another large number to the E-tron S Sportback.
The car was launched with the new S version of the existing E-tron. There is a large electric motor, which provides power to the front axle, and at the rear there are twin smaller motors. This arrangement allows torque vectoring, fully variable torque distribution between the rear wheels.
So, the three motors mean there would be a lot of power and torque. It can develop 424bhp and 592lb-ft, and in the over-boost function is Sport mode, it can produce 491bhp and 717lb-ft. It’s evident from the numbers a large battery must be required, which is indeed the case. It has got a 93kWh lithium-ion battery, which can provide a range of up to 221 miles. It has a top speed of 128mph and it can reach 62mph in 4.4sec.
About a year ago, we drove the prototype version on a German test track, and we were impressed by the new twin-motor rear axle. It was good to see a coupe-SUV being able to oversteer on demand, although you needed to alter the settings a little and be in the right driving mode. But, that’s not particularly the point, as the appeal of most products is their capability of doing something and not actually doing it. So, with this vehicle, the brand needs to be admired for its technical achievement. Where the twin-motor E-tron 55 Sportback will attract many buyers, the rest will wait for another version.