After having told us for several months that they’ll get on to electrifying their lineup, Audi has finally unveiled their first plug-in hybrid vehicle which has taken the shape of the Q5 SUV. Officially dubbed the Q5 55 TFSI e Quattro, it’s a solid indicator of how Audi will go about electrifying the A6, A7, and A8, which are the other three models that Audi said it’ll give an electric jolt to.
The powertrain under the skin marries a 2.0-litre four-cylinder TFSI engine, paired to a pretty-powerful electric motor (integrated into the 7-speed dual-clutch automatic) which together produce a very healthy 270kW and 500Nm. The century sprint is completed in just 5.3-seconds, and V-max is rated at 239km/h. With electric power alone, maximum velocity is rated at 135km/h.
Audi claims that the Q5 PHEV can be driven on electric power alone in excess of 40km (based on the WLTP cycle), while rated fuel economy is between 2.1L/100km and 2.4L/100km. Equally remarkable as the fuel economy figures are the charge times – the 14.1kWh lithium-ion battery pack can be recharged in just 6-hours from a standard household socket, while access to a 400V/16A fast-charger will drop recharge times to just 2.5-hours.
It’s the first hybrid to make use of Predictive Efficiency Assistant, which utilises GPS, route data and on-board radar to figure out when it’s suitable to switch the combustion engine off and go into ‘energy recuperation mode.’ It even extends to the adaptive cruise control which, when engaged, uses its prediction capabilities to modulate braking and acceleration to ensure maximum efficiency throughout.
To the best of our knowledge there are no concrete plans to bring the Q5 55 TFSI e Quattro plug-in hybrid to Australian shores, as we have reason to believe that Audi’s local office will be more focused on the nearing launch of the all-electric Audi e-tron. But never say never, as if the market shows strong interest in a fast, green German machine, of course Audi Australia will bring some in for you. Right?
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