2020 Audi e-Tron Sportback packs a whole lot of style and kilowatts

Audi e-Tron Sportback joins the electric crossover fray

From being a niche product to becoming a core inclusion in their respective ranges, coupe-crossovers have become more popular over the years. Audi, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz each have several models in their line-ups, but it's the brand from Ingolstadt that has yet another new one to offer.

Audi has introduced the e-Tron Sportback and based on its name, it's a pure-electric crossover. That means it's up against the Tesla Model X, and Mercedes-Benz EQC and it supplements the more upright, Q8-based e-Tron. The e-Tron Sportback is also the first EV coupe-crossover from the brand.

The e-Tron Sportback comes in two variants, namely 50 Quattro and 55 Quattro. For power, it uses a 195 kWh battery which provides juice for the 125 kW motor at the front and 140 kW motor at the back. The 50 Quattro makes 230 kW in total, which is equivalent to 308 PS. The more powerful 55 Quattro, on the other hand, makes 300 kW, which translates to 402 PS.

Even more impressive is the torque figure. Thanks to the instantaneous power delivery of electric motors, the e-Tron Sportback 50 Quattro puts out 540 Nm of pull. If that's not enough, the 55 Quattro doles out a stump-pulling figure of 664 Nm. As for performance, Audi claims this EV crossover coupe can do 0 to 100 seconds in as low as 5.7 seconds. The standard 50 Quattro does the same task at a respectable 6.8 seconds. Audi adds that the e-Tron Sportback can go up to 445 kilometers on a single charge.

As for the crossover itself, it's largely the same as the standard e-Tron right up until the middle section. From there, the roof slopes to form a rakish outline and its windows have been made slimmer to form that coupe-like design. The result is a large tailgate and echoes that of other Audi Sportback models such as the A5 Sportback and A7. The interior is also largely unchanged.