Audi Q4 e-tron review: range, battery & charging
The 77kWh battery allows Audi’s electric family SUV to cover over 300 miles between top-ups, while 135kW rapid charging is standard
| Model | Range | Wallbox charge time | Rapid charge time |
|---|---|---|---|
| 35 e-tron* | 200-221 miles | 7hrs 30mins (0-100%, 7.2kW) | 36mins (5-80%, 110kW) |
| 40 e-tron | 316-322 miles | 11hrs 30mins (0-100%, 7.4kW) | 29mins (5-80%, 135kW) |
| 50 e-tron quattro | 306-312 miles | 11hrs 30mins (0-100%, 7.4kW) | 36mins (5-80%, 135kW) |
*no longer available in the UK
For a time there was a choice of two battery sizes in the Q4 e-tron – 52kWh or 77kWh – but only the larger unit is fitted now, which Audi says allows drivers to cover around 300 miles on a single charge. Speaking of charging, Q4 e-trons fitted with the 77kWh battery can be topped up at 135kW if you can find a fast enough charger: impressive, though not class-leading.
Audi Q4 e-tron range
The entry-level Q4 35 e-tron used a 52kWh usable battery and was capable of covering up to 221 miles on a charge. However, this version is no longer available to order in the UK.
Every new Q4 e-tron in the UK now comes with a 77kWh usable battery, which in the rear-wheel drive Q4 40 e-tron provides enough juice to cover up to 322 miles before needing a top-up. More expensive trim levels have a slightly shorter range due to their larger wheels; the Black Edition, for example, gets a 316-mile range.
Finally, there’s the flagship Q4 50 e-tron quattro which uses the same 77kWh battery, plus two electric motors for all-wheel drive. Maximum range stands at between 306 and 312 miles depending on the exact specification.
When we tested the Q4 40 e-tron in the UK, it indicated only around 270 miles of range on a full charge (compared to the official number of 322 miles) and its efficiency on our test drive suggested that was a realistic estimate.
We’ve also lived with a Q4 50 e-tron quattro for some time and saw it return on average around 2.8 miles per kilowatt-hour (kWh) in cold winter weather. That equates to a real-world range of around 220 miles. City driving did help improve the car’s efficiency, though, boosting it to 3.2 miles per kWh, or a usable range of just under 250 miles.
Charge time
The Q4 40 e-tron and Q4 50 e-tron quattro are both capable of charging at up to 11kW from a three-phase home wallbox or public AC charger. However, if you use a regular 7.4kW home wallbox, it'll take you 11-and-a-half hours to fully replenish the 77kWh battery.
When it comes to rapid charging, Audi claims you’ll be able to top up both the 40 e-tron and 50 e-tron quattro at 135kW, meaning a 5-80% charge takes around half an hour if you can find a suitably fast charging point. That means if you’re in a hurry, you should be able to add roughly 80 miles of range in just 10 minutes.
The now-discontinued (in the UK at least) Q4 35 e-tron had a reduced maximum charge speed of 110kW, and only up to 7.2kW from a home wallbox. According to Audi, it would take around seven and a half hours to recharge the smaller 52kWh battery in the 35 e-tron model from a domestic charger, while a 5-80% top-up would take 36 minutes connected to a rapid public charger.
