2021 Audi E-tron Electric

When deciding which trim to buy, it is very hard to look past the new base trim level, Premium. This is because, at just $65,900, this is an extremely value for money option and makes for a great entry point for aspiring buyers of crossover electric SUVs. This truck is very well loaded and comes with features like adaptive air suspension, 20-inch wheels, lady headlights, leather upholstery, heated front seats, heated steering wheel, panoramic sunroof, four-zone automatic climate control, and so on. 

The e-tron lineup is more desirable than before, but it's still not as exciting or innovative as many alternatives- Car and Driver

Starting for the 2021 model year, there is a new base trim level offered with an Audi e-tron. It is known as the Premium trim and is priced about $9000 lesser than the Premium Plus trim. The introduction of a new trim at a much more affordable price range helps the e-tron to undercut the price of its competitors. Even with the base trim, the car is very well equipped with features like 20-inch alloy wheels, comfort pre-conditioning, four-zone climate control, heated steering wheel, heated front seats, Audi virtual cockpit plus and Audi sound system. 

The 2021 Audi e-tron Premium Plus trim adds driver-assistance package, dual charge ports, ambient lighting, heated and ventilated front seats with 12-way power adjustments, heated rear seats, wireless charging, Matrix LED headlights and B&O 3D sound system. The top-tier e-tron Prestige trim adds head-up display with navigation, individual contour front seats with massage, full leather package, multiple LED ambient lighting, power door closers, air quality system, dual-pane acoustic glass for side windows, and sunshades for rear windows 

The base Premium trim gets access to an optional Convenience Plus Package, adding features like Driver Assistance Package and Black Optic Package. Some safety features like 8-airbags, Audi Pre Sense Basic and protective crash structures enhance the safety of the e-tron. As with other electric cars, a buyer who purchases an e-tron may be eligible for a federal tax credit of up to $7,500, further reducing the costs. 

Efficiency, or how much electricity the e-tron uses when driving, isn't quite as good as in newer EVs- Edmunds

The 2021 Audi e-tron MPGe ratings are not the best in the segment and comes pretty close to the rivals. The e-tron 2021 delivers an EPA-estimated MPGe ratings of 78 MPGe in the city, 77 on the highway, and 78 combined. These are decent figures and are good enough for a range of 222 miles on a single charge. The 2021 Audi e-tron battery is a 95 KWh unit that can be charged to 80% within 30 minutes with a 150 KW DC fast-charging support. A standard 240-V outlet will charge the e-tron in about nine hours.

Although the Audi e-tron has very decent fuel efficiency and is at times better than the Mercedes-Benz EQC and the Jaguar I-Pace, it fails to deliver the same kind of range as these competitors. Add Tesla Model X into the equation and it is a game-changer with 105 MPGe estimated in combined conditions and a range of 360 miles. Although we can excuse the Audi e-tron for not being quite as good, one has to observe that the competitors from other legacy brands perform better than this car as well. Even the Mustang Mach E has got 25 miles more than the Audi e-Tron.  The Audi e-tron delivers 138 miles, 57 miles and 12 miles less than the Model X, Mercedes-Benz EQC and Jaguar I-Pace respectively.

The e-tron's most impressive technology is its electrified systems, but the five-seat crossover also has a cutting-edge and practical cabin- Car and Driver

Simply put, the Audi e-tron 2021 interior is an elegant and comfortable place to be in. The dashboard looks modern and the fit and finish is up to the mark. Ingress and egress are also very easy and the seats and door openings are designed very well. Also, there is abundant space inside the cabin and the driving position is also decent with a complete view of the road ahead. Even the NVH levels are well-controlled, refined and different creature comforts like the quad-zone climate control and air suspension system helps to keep passengers comfortable and yes they are standard offerings. Even the rear seats are comfortable. 

Audi has been generous with interior features in the newly introduced Premium trim as well. Some features like heated front seats, heated steering wheel, and comfort pre-conditioning are standard. The Premium Plus trim adds heated and ventilated front seats with power-adjustments, heated rear seats, dual charge ports and wireless charging. To step up the game, the Prestige trim adds individual contour front seats with massaging function, full-leather package and air quality system. The 2021 Audi e-tron interior colors options like Pearl Beige, Okapi Brown and Black accentuate the cabin. The e-tron cargo capacity is 28.5 cu-ft and can be extended to 57 cu-ft without much hassle.

* maximum cargo space

The cabin of all cars in this category are quite spacious and the Audi e-tron is no different. The Tesla Model X is the only car that can seat seven people while the rest of the competitors can accomodate only five. The Tesla Model X also has much better cargo capacity than any car in this class while the Mercedes Benz EQC has very low cargo capacity. The Audi e-tron offers 3.2 cu-ft and 10.5 cu-ft more cargo space than the Jaguar I-Pace and Mercedes-Benz EQC respectively. 

The two infotainment screens are- a 10.1-inch screen and an 8.8-inch screen. Audi likes to call it ‘Audi Virtual Cockpit Plus’. The driver information display is also digital. These systems are the most sophisticated of modern technology and everything from the suspension controls to the air conditioner and music is controlled by these systems. The base Premium trim gets an Audi sound system, while the Premium Plus and Prestige trims get access to B&O 3D sound system as standard. Also,expected features like Android Auto and Apple CarPlay are standard.

Some of the key interior features of the 2021 Audi e-tron are:

• Ventilated seat type - heated and cooled
• Height adjustable driver seat
• Quad-zone climate control
• Adaptive suspension
• 10.1 inch and 8.8-inch touchscreen infotainment systems
• Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility
• Amazon Alexa integration
• Navigation
• Rearview camera

The 2021 Audi e-tron exterior design is as futuristic and modern as it can get. The basic design cues are like any other Audi car in the market but surely the e-tron has a distinctive style of its own. The sleek side profile with multiple creases and angles clearly depict Audi’s futuristic design. The rear profile gets a LED light bar design and availability of features like power tailgate, heated, power-folding, auto-dimming exterior mirrors with memory takes the exterior styling to another level.

The 20-inch five-spoke alloy wheels are standard but the Matrix-design LED headlights with animation are offered from Premium Plus trim onwards. The top-tier Prestige trim offers power door closers and dual pane acoustic glass for side windows. Audi offers multiple exterior colors like Brilliant Black, Catalunya Red Metallic, Florett Silver Metallic, Galaxy Blue Metallic, Glacier White Metallic, Manhattan Gray Metallic, Mythos Black Metallic, Navarra Blue Metallic, Siam Beige Metallic, and Typhoon Gray Metallic

The Audi is bigger than the Mercedes-Benz EQC and the Jaguar i-Pace and shows this superiority in terms of its cargo capacity as well as interior space. However, it is much smaller than the Tesla Model X which is absolutely towering over the competition in terms of dimensions. In terms of weight, the Audi’s rather on the heavier side and weighs 5476 lbs. It is followed by the Tesla Model X, Mercedes-Benz EQC and Jaguar I-Pace.  The Audi e-tron has the best ground clearance in the competition, followed by the I-Pace, Model X and EQC. 

Some of the key exterior features of the 2021 Audi e-tron are: 

• 20 inch wheels
• Front splitter
• Front air dams
• External rearview cameras
• LED headlamps and tail lamps
• Rear diffuser

When it comes to safety, the new electric cars have been performing extremely well. The Audi e-tron SUV is rated with a five-star safety rating from NHTSA but has not been evaluated by the IIHS yet. It comes with most of the advanced safety features available in the market today as standard features. Audi offers 8 full-size airbags, Audi Pre Sense Basic and advanced battery housing along with crash safety structures for enhanced safety of the passengers. 

Some of the key safety features of the 2021 Audi e-tron include: 

• Forward collision warning
• Automated emergency braking
• Anti-Lock Braking system
• Blind spot monitoring
• Rear cross-traffic alert
• Driver, Passenger and Side Airbags
• Lane departure warning
• Crash sensors
• Side impact beams

2021 Audi e-tron electric SUV Vs. 2021 Tesla Model X

As we have observed, the Tesla Model X is superior to the Audi in terms of nearly every single aspect that one can think of. However, it is offered at a premium when you compare it to the Audi and especially to the base model that is introduced for this model year. For that price, we still feel that the Audi is a good pick.

2021 Audi e-tron electric SUV vs. 2021 Jaguar I-Pace 

The Jaguar I-Pace has excellent performance and good looks but fails to impress in certain areas. It has also been a bit down on technology and sophistication when you compare it to the Audi. The interior space offered in the Audi is also much better than the Jaguar. For these reasons, and considering the pricing of both cars, the Audi is the better pick.

2021 Audi e-tron electric SUV Vs. 2021 Mercedes-Benz EQC

The Mercedes-Benz EQC is an excellent SUV but suffers in terms of cargo space and interior space due to its smaller size. It is much lighter but at the cost of practicality. The Mercedes seems more like an experimental vehicle than a full-fledged civilian product which Audi manages to establish itself as. The Mercedes offers a better range but not so much more that it justifies as a better pick. Hence, we would pick the Audi over the Mercedes.

The Audi e-tron is an excellent SUV that presents a lot of reasons for one to choose it over its competitors. But at the same time, its range is the lowest in this category, which is a worrying aspect for many people. On one hand, it offers a great value for money package at the base trim level, but many people would rather pick the Tesla even at its premium.