New 2021 Audi Q4 Sportback e-tron concept breaks cover

• Audi Q4 Sportback e-tron concept gets a sleek design with a swooping coupe like roofline and large wheels 
• Audi Q4 Sportback e-tron concept's total output is 306hp, which comes from two motors – one for each axle
• The Audi Q4 Sportback e-tron Concept has a range of 450km, according to the WLTP cycle 

At the 2019 Geneva motor show, Audi showcased its Q4 e-tron concept and now, a little over a year since, the German carmaker has unveiled the coupe version of the all-electric concept SUV – the Q4 Sportback e-tron. While Audi has not revealed exact dates, production versions of both, the regular Q4 and its coupe counterpart, will debut sometime next year.  

What’s it like on the outside? 

While much of the Sportback remains the same as the regular Q4 e-tron, the big differentiator, naturally, is the swooping coupe roofline. It dips sharply at the back and fuses into a large rear spoiler, which runs across the rear windscreen. And although it might hamper visibility, we think it looks rather cool as a design element. 

The continuous rear tail-lights are similar to the regular Q4 e-tron, as is the aggressive-looking rear bumper and diffuser element. Another striking feature on the exterior is the pronounced wheel arches that house the massive 22-inch wheels. 

Up front, as expected from an Audi, the grille is massive, and while the overall shape remains the same as the previous Q4 concept, the treatment within is slightly different. The massive air intakes on the left and right of the bumper have also been given a different styling treatment, with sharp vertical fins at the outer edges. The headlamps are slim and, just like on the Q4, feature LED tech. All in all, the Audi Q4 Sportback e-tron concept is certainly a handsome car. 

In terms of size, the Audi Q4 Sportback e-tron concept measures 4,600mm in length and 1,600mm in height, making it slightly smaller than the likes of the BMW X4 and the Mercedes-Benz GLC Coupe. Compared to the regular Q4 e-tron SUV concept, however, it is marginally longer and lower, though in terms of width (at 1,900mm) and wheelbase (2,770mm) both Q4 body styles are identical.

What’s it like on the inside? 

Interestingly, even with a sloping roofline Audi still claims enough headspace for rear seat passengers. The Sportback also has a flat floor with all the batteries packed underneath, which means lots of leg space for passengers due to the lack of a transmission tunnel. 

Audi has used an array of sustainable materials like microfiber cloth for the headliner, window pillars, upper section of the door rail and dash panel.  Some of the metal pieces in the interior have also been replaced by Plexiglas that has been painted with a high quality, multi-layer frosted paint to add to the depth effect. 

The seats are draped in high quality Alcantara instead of the conventional leather. The Q4 Sportback e-tron also gets an almost squared-off steering wheel with touch pads to control the 12.3-inch touchscreen infotainment system and the all-digital instrument cluster. The lack of a traditional gear shifter on the central console has also freed up a fair bit of space for storage. 

What’s under the skin?

Just like the standard Q4 e-tron, the Sportback is also based on the all-electric MEB platform and gets a dual motor setup – one for the front axe and one for the rear. The motor at the rear, the one that does the actual drive work most of the time, makes 204hp and 310Nm of torque, while the motor up front makes 102hp and 150Nm of torque. This gives the Q4 Sportback e-tron a total output of 306hp. Power for both motors comes from an 82kWh battery pack. 

WLTP-rated range on the Q4 sportback e-tron concept is 450km. The battery can be quick-charged to 80 percent in just 30 minutes. Audi will also have rear-wheel drive versions on offer that will have a higher range of up to 500km. With the 510kg battery pack mounted in the floor, Audi claims to have managed to keep the centre of gravity as low as a similar-sized sedan. The Q4 Sportback e-tron also has 50:50 weight distribution for better handling.  

Will it come to India? 

While production versions of both, the standard Q4 e-tron and the Q4 Sportback e-tron, will be introduced in markets next year, there is no real word on when these two electrified Audis will make it to India. But with the likes of the Mercedes-Benz EQC coming to our shores very soon, Audi should definitely consider these smaller, stylish and more affordable electric SUVs for the Indian market, alongside the larger flagship Audi e-tron SUV, which was expected to make its India debut last year but has since been delayed.