About a month after the Audi E-tron Sportback concept made its debut at the 2017 Shanghai Auto Show company executives have confirmed that the electric car will see production. The E-tron Sportback will hit the U.S. as a 2020 model. The EV will feature a range-topping performance trim with up to 500 horsepower. This makes Audi's new electric car a formidable competitor to the Tesla Model X which has over 500 hp on tap in its top trim, the P100D.
Pricing for the Audi E-tron Sportback has not yet been revealed, but apparently it will start at around $70,000. That would make it substantially cheaper than the entry-level Model X which starts at $82,500. Whether all models of the Audi E-tron Sportback will have the 310-mile range of the concept which debuted in Shanghai remains to be seen.
What's Driving This Trend
- Performance-oriented Electric Suvs
- Disruptive innovation opportunity: Develop high-performance electric SUVs that offer a comparable power output to gasoline-powered SUVs.
- Electric Vehicle (EV) Production
- Disruptive innovation opportunity: Focus on manufacturing electric vehicles with impressive horsepower to challenge existing market leaders.
- Affordable Electric Luxury Cars
- Disruptive innovation opportunity: Produce electric luxury cars at a lower price point to attract a wider range of customers.
Who This Affects Most
- Automotive Manufacturing
- Disruptive innovation opportunity: Integrate advanced technology and high-performance capabilities into electric vehicles to revolutionize the automotive industry.
- Electric Vehicle Charging Infrastructure
- Disruptive innovation opportunity: Build a robust charging infrastructure to support the increasing adoption of high-performance electric SUVs and EVs.
- Luxury Car Market
- Disruptive innovation opportunity: Disrupt the luxury car market by offering electric vehicles with impressive performance and luxury features at a more affordable price.
