There are two numbers that stand out when I think about the Navarra Blue metallic Audi e-tron S I spent a week with. The first is 105,590. That’s the number of singles you’ll need to bring with you if you want to drive an e-tron S home from an Audi dealership. The second is 181. That’s the furthest your house can be from the dealership if you want to make it home in ideal conditions on a single charge when it wears its stylish 21-inch wheels. Get the 20-inch wheels and you can live 208 miles away.
While the first number substantial, it’s actually a bargain for a high performance, electric SUV from a luxury brand. A comparably equipped BMW iX M60 is $108,000. And you’ll shell out $130,000 for a Mercedes-Benz EQS 580.
The problem comes when you compare the other number. The iX will take you 288 miles on a single charge according to the EPA. The EQS is rated for 305 miles. In 2019 when e-tron was introduced, 200 miles of range was acceptable. Today, not so much, especially when in the real world that number is closer to 180 miles. That’s simply unacceptable when a $52,000 Hyundai Ioniq 5 AWD will take you 266 miles and has essentially the same performance and equivalent technology to the Audi, though admittedly, none of the luxury.
On the East Coast where the population is more dense and charging infrastructure is a little more developed, 175 to 200 miles of range might work if you have a level 2 charger at home. But in the midwest where things are more spread out, that’s a big, hard “no.” I couldn’t drive the e-tron the 121 miles from my house to Lambeau Field to see the Packers since there are no DC fast chargers in Green Bay and only one a third of the way in between. I can get the 150 miles to Chicago on a single charge and have access to reasonable charging, but the 269 miles to Minneapolis is another matter. Assuming I leave with a full charge, I could press my luck and drive 173 miles to the Electrify America station in Eau Claire where they have 150 kW fast chargers, or stop after 127 miles and take a longer stop at a 50 kW charger in Black River Falls. Yes, I can do it, but the cost in time and stress isn’t worth it.
Once you get past the range deficiency, however, the e-tron S is everything you could want in a luxury high performance SUV no matter what propulsion system it uses. It’s quick, just 4.3 seconds 0-60 when you use boost mode to access every one of its 492 horses. It handles extremely well thanks to its three motor set up with the rear motors able to distribute torque independently to either side as necessary. It’s almost eerily quiet an the interior features include heated, cooled, and massaging front seats wrapped in buttery soft leather. My test car also had a panoramic sunroof, color adjustable LED accent lighting, and plenty of USB ports. Surprisingly a fully-equipped e-tron does not include wireless charging. Also, the dual screen infotainment system is difficult to use. Especially the lower panel which houses the HVAC control which requires you to take your eyes off the road if you want to adjust the seat heat, temperature, or any other function.
So it boils down to this. If you don’t see yourself ever driving more than 175 miles in one trip and have access to home charing, then the Audi e-tron S might be a good option for you. Hopefully, Audi will be updating its battery and powertrain soon to provide a competitive experience. Until that happens, you’ll need to look elsewhere to find great performance, range, and comfort in a luxury SUV.
