2019 Audi E-TRON SUV Arrives Next Month

The 2019 Audi e-tron SUV is set to hit dealerships in May. Can the four-ringed electrified SUV be a match for Tesla’s Model X?

Early adopters of Audi’s foray into all-electric vehicles are finally going to know the answer. The Audi e-tron is first all-electric vehicle and it has some lofty expectations to live up to. The Audi e-tron SUV assuredly be compared to Tesla’s Model X at all points.

The question is how does the Audi e-tron SUV stack up against its main competition? In all out driving range, the e-tron falls short. The Audi e-tron SUV has an EPA-rated range of 204 miles. The Tesla Model X claims a 295 mile range; a 91 mile advantage over the e-tron. Although the Model X has a bigger battery which is the reason for its extended range.

One area where the Audi e-tron SUV does hold an advantage over the Model X is when it comes to charging speed. The Audi e-tron SUV can gain up to 80 percent of its range back in just 30 minutes when charging at a 150kw charger. The Model X only gets about 58 percent of its total range after 30 minutes on a Tesla Supercharger. Audi claims that the e-tron SUV’s charging rate makes it the fastest charging electric SUV on the market.

Both cars should provide their passengers with a significant level of luxury. Though the Audi e-tron SUV kicks things up with Amazon Alexa integration with its Audi MMI system. Users can even connect their Amazon Prime account to the e-tron SUV to get access to additional features including their audiobooks for long drives. The e-tron SUV also comes with heated/cooled seats standard with the option of seat massagers. Those are two features not available on the Model X.

On a more subjective note, I personally think the Audi e-tron SUV just looks better. It looks more like a car and less like an appliance. I don’t hate the Model X’s looks but the Audi e-tron is just more attractive to me personally.

Though, I think the biggest advantage the e-tron has over the Model X is with its price. The Audi e-tron SUV’s starting MSRP is $74,800 before any possible tax credits. The “long distance” Model X is $77,950 after tax credits and before adding extras like Tesla’s popular “autopilot” feature.

The price tag alone may just be enough for Audi to give Tesla a serious run for its money. Although, Tesla’s brand recognition and cache among electric car fans could be strong enough to encourage buyers to spend the extra money just to claim they are Tesla owners.

It will be interesting to see how it shakes out!