AUDI HAS RELEASED photos of the cabin of the upcoming e-tron quattro, the German firm’s first all-electric SUV.
Sized roughly between the Audi Q5 and Q7, the new all-electric car will have a one-charge range of 400km and it will be compatible with ultra-fast 150kW charging stations. (Of which there are none in Ireland.)
If you look closely at the exterior shots, you’ll notice that there are no wing mirrors. That’s because the e-tron will be one of the first production cars to do away with conventional side mirrors, and instead use high-def rear facing cameras mounted to the outside of the doors.
The cameras are smaller and less obtrusive than a conventional mirror, so the e-tron’s exterior becomes much more aerodynamic. The low drag coefficient of 0.28, helps the SUV achieve a range of more than 400 kilometres (248.5 miles) in the WLTP cycle.
The images from the cameras are projected inside onto seven-inch OLED screens mounted in the corners of the doors. The driver can enter different settings using the touchscreen function. The image detail can be moved, providing the required field of vision, while the user can also zoom in and out of the image. The driver can choose from three views in the MMI system for different situations – for highway driving, for turning and for parking.
The cabin has a familiar feel to it – it is quite similar to the new A8, A7 and A6, with the same double-deck screen layout and 12.3-inch Virtual Cockpit digital instrument panel.
What is new is a Bang & Olufsen Premium Sound System, which has 16 speakers and 705 watts of power.
Another new feature is the centre console which rests on open sidewalls. The hand rest with integrated gear change lever appears to float above the console.
A neat feature is the stitching on the seats that creates a motif mimicking that of electric circuit boards. Buyers can spec their car with contrasting stitching and piping in orange that supposedly evokes the look of a high-voltage electrical system.
The e-tron Quattro’s wheelbase is 2,978mm and because there is no transmission tunnel, the rear floor is flat. Audi is boasting exceptional legroom for rear occupants.
Audi also says that there is special soundproofing and sealing in all zones so that wind noise “barely gets through to the occupants. As such, the passengers can talk to each other comfortably even at high speeds.”
In case you were wondering, that camouflage is supposed to mimic the layout of an electrical grid.
The Audi e-tron Quattro SUV is set to go on sale by the end of this year.
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