Audi1 A61 E-Tron1 Expert1 Review
Say1 hello1 to1 Audi’s1 first1 electric1 sedan1 for1 the1 masses:1 the1 A61 E-Tron.1 This1 isn’t1 Audi’s1 introduction1 to1 the1 EV1 world—that1 designation1 goes1 to1 the1 E-Tron1 SUV1 and1 the1 fastback1 E-Tron1 GT—but1 this1 new1 electrified1 version1 of1 the1 A61 will1 be1 the1 automaker’s1 first1 low-slung1 EV1 anticipated1 to1 be1 accessible1 to1 traditional1 midsize1 luxury1 buyers.1 Audi1 previewed1 this1 sedan1 with1 the1 A61 E-Tron1 Concept1 at1 the1 20211 Shanghai1 auto1 show.
What’s1 New
• Evolution1 of1 Audi’s1 notoriously1 restrained1 design1 language
• Built1 on1 the1 Premium1 Performance1 Electric1 platform
• Will1 be1 available1 with1 RWD,1 unlike1 the1 current1 A6
• Fastback1 roofline1 in1 place1 of1 other1 A6’s1 conventional1 three-box1 design
Motors1 and1 Performance
Audi1 is1 planning1 single-1 and1 dual-motor1 variants1 of1 the1 A61 E-Tron,1 meaning1 rear-1 and1 all-wheel1 drive.1 That1 will1 position1 the1 upcoming1 electric1 A61 in1 special1 company1 in1 Audi’s1 historic1 garage,1 given1 the1 automaker1 built1 its1 name1 on1 AWD1 traction.1
In1 the1 case1 of1 the1 A61 E-Tron1 Concept,1 Audi1 showed1 off1 the1 two-motor1 AWD1 setup,1 which1 delivers1 4691 hp1 and1 5901 lb-ft1 of1 torque.1 With1 this1 setup,1 Audi1 is1 claiming1 0-601 mph1 in1 under1 4.01 seconds.
Battery1 and1 Range
The1 A61 E-Tron1 will1 work1 with1 a1 100-kWh1 battery1 pack,1 and1 it’s1 expected1 to1 achieve1 a1 longer1 range1 than1 what1 the1 E-Tron1 SUV1 and1 E-Tron1 GT1 can1 offer.1 Those1 EVs1 can1 only1 deliver1 EPA-rated1 maximums1 of1 2221 miles1 and1 2321 miles,1 respectively.1 For1 the1 A61 E-Tron,1 the1 German1 manufacturer1 is1 claiming1 more1 than1 4351 miles1 of1 range1 on1 the1 European1 WLTP1 cycle;1 expect1 a1 range1 north1 of1 3001 miles1 here1 in1 the1 U.S.1 on1 the1 EPA1 cycle.
Charging
The1 A61 E-Tron1 will1 be1 capable1 of1 charging1 at1 rates1 of1 up1 to1 2701 kW,1 which1 would1 mean1 its1 battery1 could1 suck1 down1 power1 201 kW1 faster1 than1 the1 fastest1 Tesla1 Supercharger1 could1 dole1 it1 out.1 If1 you1 can1 find1 a1 270-kW1 station,1 just1 101 minutes1 of1 charging1 can1 add1 1861 miles1 of1 range.
How1 Much1 Is1 the1 Audi1 A61 E-Tron?
Whereas1 Audi’s1 first1 wave1 of1 EVs1 came1 with1 an1 aspirational1 pricing1 strategy—the1 E-Tron1 GT1 starts1 just1 north1 of1 $100,000—we’re1 anticipating1 a1 more1 reasonable1 pricing1 strategy1 with1 the1 A61 E-Tron.1 Our1 expectation1 is1 that1 an1 entry-level,1 single-motor1 A61 E-Tron1 with1 rear-wheel1 drive1 will1 start1 around1 $55,000.
A61 E-Tron1 Release1 Date
According1 to1 Audi’s1 timeline,1 the1 A61 E-Tron1 isn’t1 far1 off.1 The1 company1 is1 set1 to1 debut1 the1 production1 version1 late1 in1 20221 and1 for1 the1 model1 to1 hit1 dealer1 lots1 at1 some1 point1 in1 2023.
