Theo Austin
One of the most expected cars for 2021 has a lower price than expected and for the Audi fanbase it can only mean one thing, and that’s good news on their part, paying less for their desired vehicle while also still getting the most out of it.
The 2021 Audi E-Tron electric SUV gets an $8,800 lower base price and an 18-mile range increase for the new model year.
The $66,995 base price (including a mandatory $1,095 destination charge) isn’t a price cut. It reveals their less Premium trim level Audi previously said was on the way.
A Convenience Plus Package for the Premium trim level adds driver-assist features and bumps the price to $70,495. The previously-available Premium Plus and Prestige trim levels carry over, starting at $75,895 and $80,195, respectively.
The E-Tron also qualifies for the full $7,500 federal EV tax credit and may qualify for additional state and local incentives, depending on locality.
For 2021, the range also increases to an EPA-estimated 222 miles. That’s a huge boost over the E-Tron’s original rating of 204 miles, and it was achieved without improving the battery-pack size from the previous 95 kilowatt-hours. Alternatively, Audi enabled more usable battery capacity, from the current E-Tron’s 83.6 kWh to 86.5 kWh, and made hardware and software tweaks.
The modifications done were those that we basically expected for 2020, but the E-Tron SUV sat out the 2020 model year in the U.S. and is instead of getting them in 2021.
Audi advertised those changes for the E-Tron Sportback already, resulting in a 218-mile range for that body style. The Sportback has a lower, sleeker roofline than the standard E-Tron, decreasing headroom and cargo space, but giving the SUV a more stylish look.
Predictability and strong real-world range results are what we’ve observed in the E-Tron all along—and we’ll be eager to see if its real-world mileage can increase by this much or more.
