By Padraic Deane
The new Audi Q7 e-tron will be available to order in Ireland from mid-December, retailing at €84,475 on-the-road - that's after the maximum €7,500 SEAI and Revenue grants have been deducted.
The Audi Q7 e-tron is the second hybrid in the Audi range, the first diesel hybrid, but it is the first to merge plug-in hybrid technology with quattro drive.
It can go from 0 to 100km/h in six seconds and it is a very spacious five-seater SUV. Audi also says it combines sportiness with efficiency. With an electric range of 56km and an overall promised maximum range of 1,400km, the Q7 e-tron uses 1.7 litres of fuel per 100km and emits 46g CO2 per kilometre.
The lithium ion battery, which takes 2.5 hours to charge fully, and the 3.0 TDI V6 diesel engine, allow a total vehicular output of 373hp with 700NM of torque.
In a world first for diesel engines, the Q7 e-tron is equipped with active engine mounts that Audi claims eliminate unwanted vibrations and enhance acoustic comfort through selective counter pulses. They operate by utilising electromagnetic oscillation coil actuators to induce phase offset counter oscillations. The engine mounts are active while driving with the combustion engine running and at idle.
Inside, the Q7 e-tron is spacious and elegantly designed. Five seats, a neatly contained driver cockpit and a maximum 1,835 litres of space should ensure comfort. With the car's thermal management system, waste heat from the electrical drive components allows the interior to warm up quickly and enables a more efficient use of charge.
New driver assistance systems, including collision avoidance assist and trailer assist, lend a pair of watchful eyes to the driver, while the brand's trademark virtual cockpit and MMI touchpad, stylishly embodied in the car's fully digital instrument cluster, allow ease of access to navigation tools, multimedia and the internet.
As standard, the Q7 e-tron comes with 20" e-tron exclusive alloy wheels, Audi’s iconic virtual cockpit and a charging cable over normal SE specification. In addition to SE, it will also be available in SE 'Business' specification.
The Audi Q7 e-tron is available to order from mid-December, with first deliveries in March next year. There are two Audi e-tron exclusive dealers in the Republic - they are Audi Cork or Audi North Dublin.
