2018 Audi Q5
The Audi Q5 received a major redesign for the 2018 model year, but next year the vehicle will introduce the brand’s next-generation plug-in hybrid system.
Audi’s newest plug-in hybrid technology will help boost the crossover SUV’s range past 40 miles, Autocar reported on Friday.
Audi powertrain director Siegfried Pint said the new system will deliver 20 to 30 percent more range than the current Q3 or Q7 e-tron models sold overseas, or roughly 42 miles. He added an A6 e-tron plug-in hybrid will follow the Q5 e-tron and a new Q3 e-tron should come after that.
2018 Audi Q5
The new plug-in hybrid system will combine Audi’s 2.0-liter inline-4 with an electric motor mounted at the rear of the crossover. The internal combustion engine will power the front wheels, while the electric motor will provide drive to the rear wheels to give the Q5 e-tron all-wheel drive. The entire system should provide about 296 horsepower and a whopping 457 pound-feet of torque.
Aside from the electrified powertrain, the Q5 e-tron should look identical to the standard Q5. The brand revealed the mid-size crossover’s new looks at the 2016 Paris motor show, which took on the Q7’s more angular look and sculpted lines. The latest Q5 also introduced a hybrid model in some markets, which paired the same 2.0-liter inline-4 with an electric motor. The system makes 245 hp and 354 lb-ft of torque.
The Q5 e-tron follows in the footsteps of Audi’s purely electric crossover SUV: the e-tron. The e-tron name will continue to spread across the brand’s entire lineup, too. The German marque plans for 10 plug-in hybrids and 10 electric cars by 2025. The first of the three will launch by 2020, which began with the recently revealed e-tron.
