Audi exec claims 10,000 reservations for E-Tron electric SUV already
That should hold the company over nicely, considering all E-Trons will come from a single plant.
While EVs are certainly gaining ground with buyers in 2018, their success isn't exactly a guarantee yet, especially when it's an automaker's first offering of that kind. But the preorder numbers for Audi's first electric SUV look pretty sweet at first glance.
Audi has received approximately 10,000 reservations for the E-Tron already, France's Automobile Propre reports, citing an interview with Lahouari Bennaoum, managing director of Audi France. Audi did not immediately return a request to confirm that this figure is accurate.
That's pretty promising for Audi. According to InsideEVs, Tesla sold about 13,000 Model X vehicles in Europe in all of 2017, so it's clear that the European market is pretty stoked to have some hometown heroes get in on the EV-production game. Its starting price in Germany is €79,900, the equivalent of about $93,000.
When it goes on sale in the US, the E-Tron will start at a much more palatable $74,800. Audi doesn't have much in the way of specific specs yet, but we know its two electric motors will allow it to reach 60 mph in 5.5 seconds, and its range should be competitive thanks to a 95-kWh battery. You won't find them at the dealership, though, since they're only available via special order in the US, in an attempt to help save dealers on floor plan costs.
E-Tron production started at the beginning of September at Audi's facility in Brussels. Audi claims the plant is entirely carbon neutral, using renewable energy to cover approximately 95 percent of its manufacturing processes. The remaining 5 percent will be offset with additional environmental projects. The US should start receiving its share of E-Trons next year.