Car review: Audi e-tron 55 quattro 300kW - Cheshire's electric dream

Model	Audi e-tron 55 quattro 300kW
Price	£70,845
Engine	300kW electric
Power/Torque	408PS
0-62mph	5.7 seconds
Top speed	124mph
Range	249 miles
CO2	0g/km

Audi SUVs are de riguer in Cheshire, so it’s been no surprise to see plenty of Audi’s first electric car, the e-tron SUV, on my local roads recently. From the outside it looks, well, like an Audi SUV: large, imposing and unmistakably an Audi.

The e-tron is offered in five specs – Teaching, Sport, S-Line, Black Edition & Vorsprung, with a choice of two batteries. The more powerful 55 has a claimed range of 249 miles, whilst the 50 will only take you on a journey of 194 miles. The addition of regenerative brakes help recharge the battery every time you lift your foot off the accelerator.

The 50 quattro takes 10.5 hours and the 55 14 hours to charge at home using a AC 7kW charger, like our own Rolec. The charging flap pops out when you push a button, which is neat.

The Audi has regenerative brakes which help recharge the battery every time you lift your foot off the accelerator

The entry level e-tron, the 50 quattro Technik, retails at £62,025 and you get plenty of standard goodies on all of the model range, including Audi’s Virtual Cockpit with MMI Navigation & 10.1″ central infotainment screen.

The first thing you’ll notice when you start driving is how heavy the e-tron feels. It does after all weigh in at 2,565kg, some 300kg more than the Jaguar I-Pace. There’s only one gear and with paddles mounted on the steering wheel controlling the level of regenerative braking, you soon get used to utilising this.

We’re pleased to report that even if driven at motorway speeds, the e-tron offered us a range of 200 miles, so about 80% of what Audi claim. This was actually a lot better than we have experienced recently in the Tesla Model 3 or Polestar 2, which only gave us 65% of the claimed range.

The electric e-tron offers tremendous practicality and maximum comfort

After the initial surprise of just how heavy the e-tron is, over a week it developed into acceptance that if you want maximum comfort coupled to tremendous practicality in your SUV, then the electric e-tron is brilliant. Add in the far lower cost to charge up your e-tron than to fill up your Q5 or Q7 at a petrol station and of course the zero emissions offered, it’s hard to ignore.