2024 Audi Q4 E-Tron: Australian release confirmed for updated electric SUV

There have been rumours of the Audi Q4 E-Tron coming to Australia since the SUV’s launch in 2021, but it’s now been confirmed to coincide with a global update. First customer deliveries are expected to arrive in mid-2024.

It’s a similar strategy Volkswagen employed in holding its ID.3 back for our market to coincide with the update’s launch and, despite being late to the party, may benefit both manufacturers in the long run.

In fact, Audi’s local team admitted that the announcement timing – coinciding with the Melbourne EV show – has worked out rather nicely. It follows business cases being put forward by the Australian team after early production issues and countries with CO₂ mandates were prioritised.

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Audi hopes to secure stronger volumes of the Q4 E-Tron in both Sportback and wagon body styles than the trickle of Q8 E-Trons (neé E-Tron SUV) that have arrived in Oz.

It’s a fair assumption that the Q4 E-Tron will be more popular than Audi’s bigger EVs. It’s keenly priced in its Europe home market, with the new entry-level E-Tron 45 costing the equivalent of AU$88,000 in Germany.

It will compete with the BMW iX3 and Mercedes-Benz EQC, as well as high-end variants of the Tesla Model Y and Volkswagen ID.4/ID.5.

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What’s new for the Q4 E-Tron?

The range has been restructured with the short-range 35 dropped. The E-Tron 40, meanwhile, is replaced by the 45 in both single and twin-motor guises, while the dual-motor E-Tron 50 becomes the 55.

All models are therefore equipped with a 77kWh usable battery (82kWh gross) that’s now able to charge from 10-80 per cent as fast at 28 minutes for Quattro models (capable of 170kW DC, while non-Quattros are limited to 135kW DC).

The longest driving range accolade belongs to the rear-drive E-Tron 45 Sportback at 562km in WLTP testing, up from 534km in the pre-update model. Along with a bigger battery, improvements can be attributed to enhanced battery cooling and optimised software.

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A new permanently excited synchronous motor is mounted on the rear axle producing 210kW (up 60kW) in the E-Tron 45, good for a 6.7-seconds 0-100km/h sprint. The 45 E-Tron Quattro matches those outputs and acceleration but with two motors. The amped 55 Quattro models, meanwhile, develop 250kW and hit the tonne in 5.4 seconds.

Also new is a 15mm lower sport suspension package. Across the range, Audi has massaged the damping, spring, and steering characteristics to improve the Q4 E-Tron’s driving experience.

Audi has worked on the E-Tron’s camera and radar systems, and the adaptive cruise control/lane-trace assist systems can now work in tandem with the blind-spot monitor for automatic lane changes at speeds between 90-130km/h on the freeway.

The interior has been left largely alone, though all models now get the larger touchscreen and digital driver’s display, and a battery route planner in the connected navigation. A new synthesised ‘character sound’ also gives the Q4 E-Tron a unique identity.