Audi is adding a more powerful, efficient electric motor to its Q4 e-tron electric SUV. The Q4 50 e-tron will now have 335 horsepower, up from 295 horsepower, and the Q4 40 e-tron will now have 282 horsepower, up 295 horsepower. Audi made these changes for the European market, but we expect the Q4 e-tron to get the same upgrades for the 2025 model year. Audi plans to make several new electric cars, starting with the Q6 e-tron in 2025. The German automaker is also making sure that its current EVs don’t become outdated by announcing several changes for the Q4 e-tron crossover, which has been sold in the U.S. since 2022. The changes will be available to European buyers this fall, but we expect the new Q4 e-tron in the U.S. in the 2025 model year. The changes will affect both the classic Q4 SUV and the stylish Sportback models. The Q4 still looks the same but now has a new permanently excited synchronous motor on the back axle. This gives the crossover more speed and range. The basic Q4 40 e-tron has 201 horsepower, but the new engine brings up to 282 horsepower. Currently, it takes 7.9 seconds to go from 0 to 60 mph. Audi predicts it will take only 6.7 seconds to go from 0 to 62 mph, and the top speed will go from 99 mph to 112 mph to match all-wheel-drive variants. The EPA says the 40 model has a range of 265 miles, but when the scores are public, that number should go up to about 300 miles. On the other hand, the Q4 50 e-tron with all-wheel drive has gone from 295 horsepower to 335 horsepower. We timed a 5.6-second run in the last model, which means the new motor will make the Q4 50 e-tron even faster than Audi says it will be. Audi says it can go from 0 to 62 miles per hour in 5.4 seconds. The 50 model car has a range of 236 miles, and the 50 model Sportback has a range of 244 miles. By 2025, the content is expected to improve in a big way. A 77.0 kWh battery still powers the Q4’s motors, but Audi says that better cell chemistry has cut the time it takes to charge the battery. It only takes 28 minutes to set the Q4 from 10% to 80%. Audi says that the most power a Q4 e-tron with all-wheel drive can get from a D.C. fast charger will go up from 150 kW to 175 kW when linked to a fast charger. In Europe, cars with rear-wheel drive are only allowed to have 135 kW of power, but in the U.S., they have all been able to have 150 kW. Audi also uses a system that limits the amount of charge to 80 percent. This is done to make the battery last as long as possible. The battery in Q4 will now have a technology called “post-conditioning” that will cool it down if it gets too hot after moving or being charged. Audi says that they changed the Q4 e-tron’s suspension so that it handles better and is more comfortable to drive. The turning is also said to be quicker. Audi added lane-centering to adaptive cruise control for 2024, so the Q4 will now be able to help change lanes while using the system at speeds over 56 mph on the highway. When the driver uses the turn signal, the system ensures it is safe to change lanes and helps the driver steer into the new road. The Q4 will also have a new “character sound” that can be turned on or off. It will be played through two speakers inside the back doors and two speakers at the back of the car. Even though the low-speed sound is needed by law to protect pedestrians, it changes with speed and can be turned off at any time. The improved Q4 e-tron will be available in Europe within the next month but won’t be available in the U.S. until sometime in 2019. The new engine will come out in 2024, and Volkswagen will give the ID.4 crossover the same upgrade. However, it needs to be clarified how many of these improvements will be shared with the Q4 e-tron for the U.S. market. Prices should increase slightly in the fourth quarter, and information about the United States should be released soon.
