Audi e-tron: A Tesla owner's honest review

This vid is the result of 5 days of testing as a daily driver around Denver, one round trip to Breckridge and back, and one efficient trip to eastern Colorado. I hope you enjoy it.
Audi Denver contact info:
Spencer Webb
General Sales Manager
303-795-1100
6060 S Broadway
Littleton, CO 80121
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#Audi #etron #ElectricVehicle

[@sinclabs]

Sean, great overview of the e-tron. Thank you! As an Audi e-tron owner and a Tesla X 90D owner I would have to say that your review is very accurate. I have had my e-tron for a few months now and I also had some time with an Audi engineer who specializes in the e-tron. I am also lucky enough to have the top two Audi e-tron technicians in the US work at the Audi dealer near me. I asked the engineer quite a few questions that might shed some light on a few things. Some comments below: 1. Acceleration: Per Audi engineer, Audi made a conscious choice to limit the initial current flow to the motors for reliability. Yes, that takes away some of the instant "throw your head back" acceleration you find in the Tesla, but apparently will help with long term reliability. 2. Range: Per Audi engineer. Audi uses 85~88% of the batteries capacity. Audi does not allow you to override this. Some reserve is kept for long term reliability. I charge about 99% of my time at home for both cars. I don't see the range as a deal breaker, but the reality is the more range the better. As for superchargers, they kill your battery if your using them often. Superchargers are design to be used primarily for long trips. Tesla still has a huge advantage from an infrastructure point of view. Electrify America is probably a year away from really having a broad charging network up and ruining, at least based on my experience. 3. Regen: I agree that the regen is not aggressive enough. I would prefer one pedal driving, but have gotten used to the paddles. One thing of particular note is that the brakes and rarely used on this vehicle. The braking is done by a "brake by wire" system. The Audi engineer told me that about 80% of the braking on the car is actually done through the motors. Apparently you need to use more than .3G of braking force in order to actually engage the braking pads to slow the vehicle. 4. Build quality: This car is built incredibly well. Super quiet, super rigid. Suspension tuning is fantastic. Amazing accomplishment in my opinion. 5. Over the air updates: Per Audi engineer, Audi made the conscious decision to not allow for this. I was told they had concerns over security and wanted to keep the infotainment and operational systems separate. Right or wrong only time will tell. The infotainment system does update over the air for maps and the like as the car is a 4G hotspot and provides wifi to its passengers. 6. Carplay: The Carplay system on the e-tron is wireless. You do not need to plug in any cables to use Carplay and there is a wireless charger built in for your phone in the center console. 7. Future models: There is a smaller battery version of the e-tron coming. The "50". Current model is the "55". I think that is a bad idea. Less range, less cost. There is also a sport-back version coming and an S performance version coming with three electric motors and apparently 500HP. Current "55" model is roughly 400 HP/500 ft/lb. I hope this info helps anyone considering the vehicle or for those just curious about the e-tron. Cheers!

[@Miata822]

The 50 will be fine in Europe where more fast charging is available and travel is generally shorter distances.

[@sinclabs]

@@Miata822 Hi Bill, yes I agree. Cheers!

[@MattMerkle]

The #1 big issue with these non-Tesla EVs in the USA currently is the charging network. It is not JUST about the lack of fast chargers, although that is a huge problem. It is also the fact that the existing fast chargers are horrendously expensive. Many of them cost 3 times as much as a Supercharger stop, and nearly eliminates all the cost savings of electric over gas. 1. Yes, this is because so far no one has motors that even come close to Tesla's designs. 2. Tesla doesn't give you the full battery capacity either. 100% is not 100%, and 0% is not 0%. But fact of the matter is, Audi (and most EVs) just don't even come close to watts per mile efficiency of Tesla yet. 3. I really don't like this system. It makes the brakes feel unnatural. 5. This is a BS excuse. If they allow any internet access at all, that is a security concern. Furthermore, if you DON'T do OTAs, then you end up with situations, like BMW, where your keyfobs are horrendously insecure and unable to be fixed, at least without a massive recall.

[@sinclabs]

@@MattMerkle Hi Matt, Like I said I don't have the need for supercharging often. Also Audi throws in Supercharging with Electrify America and that should last me plenty of miles. Sense I have solar at home, charging my cars is very reasonable. Everyone's use case is different. The brakes feel very natural. I have driven/owned many cars that have regen brakes and these do not feel like that at all. Again, to each his own. Owning both vehicles I am still very satisfied with the e-tron.

[@AlexanderBrueck]

David Sanders you sound like an android user when it first came out. You’re not even trying to claim that the etron is a superior product, just that it’s shortcomings don’t bother you. I’m just going to keep listening to the market. As soon as etrons start being sold in meaningful numbers, I’ll start taking them seriously. Less than 5k sold in the US since it’s been available....I wonder why? 🤔

[@eddiestearns8886]

I'm an etron owner and I thought this was a very fair review. I've ridden in a Tesla model S and thought it was a great car as well. My wife wanted an SUV, we wanted to go electric, and neither of us really liked the Model X. A couple of thoughts from my experience: Range- obviously a shortcoming vs most Tesla models. I did not think that the word "sufficient" in the context used by Sean was derogatory or damning with faint praise - its simply acknowledges the fact that for 95% of the driving that most people do, its a non factor. The one road trip I've taken so far that required fast charging did require some planning, but the EA chargers worked fine and quickly and that network will only grow as VW ramps up ID production. But I primarily use the car to commute and for around town, and have to charge at home every 3rd night or so. My average range based on Kwh / 100 miles for the first 2,200 mile is about 212 miles. Around town its better, closer to 230. Second, I'm not a fan of one pedal driving, but I am a fan of how this car coasts and I've learned to use the paddles for regen. I love the quiet and refined interior and the fact that it drives like an Audi, albeit a heavy one. Acceleration for an SUV is fine, I'm not taking it to a drag strip. Value proposition? Well, that's subjective and depends what you want out of car. So far, I really like this car.

[@TremereTT]

I think America has a big range advantage as the speedlimit for most people is 70mph or 75mph. I'm currently driving an 18 year old stationwagon(VW 3BG 1.8T) in Germany, my travellspeed on Sundays is about 93mph. I try to go about 105mph for as long as possible, but there are many cars on small German motorways, so it's a continuous game of breaking and getting up to speed. In this way I can travel from Dortmund to Berlin without fueling my car or even thinking to much about saving fuel while traveling. These are 306 miles driven with a common travelspeed. If I would take my companies car, wich has all the assistent system, I feel way more comfortable and secure traveling with a higher speed. 125mph feels totally comfy. The distances shrink when you have a better, safer and faster car. If I buy a new car it should shrink the distances even further or at least don't do the opposite. Spending one and a half hour for charging mid-travel ??? I mean I would be allready faster would I take the train. The car offers me the freedom to choose when I want to start my travel, how fast I want to travel and when I want to arrive... Let's be honest it's not the range but the time charging takes. A it looks like now. getting an electric car is about giving up a lot of freedom. We don't need much more range but way faster charging of cars.

[@edstratton]

For me it's very simple - if you can afford the e-tron and its range is almost always enough for the amount and type of driving in your life, and you have grown out of that "need for speed" thing that you had when you were younger, then you will ALWAYS choose the e-tron over any Tesla. For that kind of owner the two cars are worlds apart. I don't believe it even makes sense to try to compare two cars when they are designed for completely different types of owner.

[@brois841]

Eddie, I don't think you appreciate one-pedal driving, since you're not used to it. Once you get used to it, you'll understand that it's not just about convenience, but it's about optimizing regen (and thus range). You can choose how much regen you get in a Tesla. I think this is a huge miss for Audi/Porsche. I just came back from test driving a Taycan 4S and it was very strange not having proper regen. The entire experience was actually strange, Porsche emulates all the negative things about owning ICE cars. I was so disappointed for a car that's almost $150k. I mean it looks beautiful, but not enough to overcome the driving experience.

[@peeteerpaan]

Hi, Is the cabin noise louder in a Tesla Model S than an E-tron?

[@SriSri-fo2je]

Still own it? Recommended?

[@ulfasplund3514]

I have driven the e-Tron and I would say that it does beat my Model 3 on quietness, feeling of luxury and size. I do disagree on acceleration and handling, it is slower in the uptake and much more of a truck taking a roundabout. Then we have the fact that the e-Tron has had no software upgrades or enhancements since it official release last year, where as all Teslas have had lots of upgrades and changes in the same time. I agree with you that it beats any other Audi SUV, but beside the two areas of luxury feel, and quietness it does not come close even to a Tesla model 3 for almost half the price.

[@senordockman1138]

Sorry. The fact that most people drive less than 200 miles to work does not address the fact that an $85,000 vehicle has an actual range of less than 200 miles on a charge.

[@jaymesdevine7737]

Audi 85 kWh battery -> 204 mile range. Tesla M3 75 kWh battery -> 310 miles. What is Audi doing wrong? Bigger battery but less range.

[@pr7638]

@@jaymesdevine7737 are you actully baffled by an suv having higher driving resitances than a sedan? regarding the comment of @Ulf Asplund the model 3 got tested by bjorn nyland and he has a video on his channel that shows that the model 3 is a quite noisy car, even coming in behind an e-golf. its far behind an etron in terms off the noise and the way to firm ride in the model 3 is a common complaint

[@unlucky5442]

@@jaymesdevine7737 I don't know where the 204 miles is coming from really, even the e-trons estimations while driving is a bit off, probably like a safety margin. I managed to get about 235 miles on my e-tron on a single charge. (While driving economically on the highway) Also, as So'Ji B said. Don't compare an SUV to a midsize sedan. To get a more accurate picture, you should try to compare it to a model x.

[@rj8u]

@@unlucky5442 204 came U.S EPA rated. Try driving your E-Tron on normal settings and a 75-85 mph which freeway speed which what most Americans drive in the freeways 🙈. You will be pissing off people if you drive this car 65 mph in the freeways 😂. You can tell when he was driving, he was waa driving pretty slow where people passing him 😁😁. EPA is pretty a Spot on this on this diesel car....sorry I meant electric car 😂.

[@NotPoodle]

Well done Audi. I don't think i'll be canceling my Tesla order but im pleased that other autos are serious about electric vehicles now.

[@dzerres]

I don't think the eTron was a serious effort by Audi otherwise it would have been kick-ass instead of ho-hum.

[@NotPoodle]

@@dzerres I think it was a serious first effort to get something to market while they build up their EV platform technology. VW can see the trajectory, many other autos still can't. They are adjusting their course but big companies are like big ships, it takes a long time to change direction. We should be happy that the thing we all want to happen, the move to electric vehicles, is finally starting to happen.

[@shankhadeepshome3982]

@@dzerres They put more than 1/2 a billion on its development, lol

[@mowhinay]

@@dzerres Um the E-Tron beat every Telsa model on Consumer Reports by ~30 points. So if that's not kick-ass what does that say about Tesla?🤔

[@moi01887]

@@dzerres If you want to see their "serious effort", look up the RS e-tron GT. You'll need to have a big bank account though.

[@bradleyabel]

The thing about this car is that it has the brand name. So people who would like to stay in the brand may want to lean towards electrics cars as the industry moves more “green”

[@rogerstarkey5390]

Which means the main competition for the e-tron is..... Audi.

[@bradleyabel]

@@rogerstarkey5390 I agree, Audi needs to show they "loyal" customers that the e-tron is worth it because lets be honest, in 50 years the much more of cars will be electronic

[@martinwinlow]

@@bradleyabel 50 years???!!! *99%* of cars (and probably pretty much anything else on the road) will be electric by then - and I don't mean pretend-EVs, aka hybrids. 10 years would be a better forecast.

[@dyhppyx]

Sean I'm a big fan of yours so I say this with respect. For 90k bucks, a car should be better than "sufficient." The Audi has poor range, acceleration, charging network etc and while it may be good enough, is it the smart buy? Maybe it's because you didn't have to pay for it with your own money? I'm struggling to understand why you would give your money to Audi over Tesla unless you just love having the quietest cabin. I should drive one as you suggest. Just very surprised you weren't more critical for that amount of money when a top spec 3 is almost half the price.

[@cristianfederico2411]

Well put!

[@carminedauria-gupta2561]

It sells more than the model X so the market thinks it’s a smart buy.

[@alphaomega9650]

Carmine DAuria-Gupta stats?

[@heinzknalltute3558]

Carmine DAuria-Gupta Where? And MX is a different category by size.

[@theoschijf8155]

Don’t compare a 3 to this car please. The 3 is not a luxury car, it is a fun EV. For now, if you haven’t driven it yourself, trust the experience of Sean.

[@harveysoicher2522]

Hi Sean, As an Audi e-tron owner I think you did an excellent job in describing this new first fully EV from Audi. I have now had my e-tron for almost a year and a half and most of your comments are right on! When I first took delivery at the end of June last year I drove it from the Victoria BC on the West coast of Canada all the way to St. John's Newfoundland the furthest East point of Canada and of course the furthest East point of North America. I then turned the car around and drove back home via the USA for a total of almost 14,000 miles over a 2 month period. Since then I have driven a total of 27,500 miles and you could say I have a bit of experience with this Audi EV. Overall I love my e-tron and so happy I made this choice and don't regret my decision for a second. In regards to range I was consistently averaging about 230 miles of effective range of miles per full charge on my trip and I was often getting 250 or more miles. Part of this is I think the wheels and tires on my etron were the lighter 19 inch rims combined with dedicated summer low rolling resistance tires. I purposely chose this option when ordering my vehicle as I knew I needed to maximize range where I could and it certainly made a difference. Another way I maximized range was to be easy on the accelarator and to drive as smoothly as possible and when I was driving on the highway I used the adaptive cruse control which I thought that this combined the best efficency for the vehicle by accelarating and regenerating performed automatically by the onboard computers. In most cases I was able to recieve on average about 2.9 miles per KW and at times recieved as much as 3.7 miles per KW. Your comment on the range shown after fully charging being higher than the 205 mile epa rating makes sense especially when you are probably charging after you are driving downhill from the mountains down to your home in Denver. The computer takes your average effeciency that you were driving prior to plugging in and estimates the range based on your most recent trip. If you did the same top up charge in Breckenridge after driving from Denver your estimated range would most likely be at least 15% or even 20% lower that the 205 range. On my trip I created a charging log which included all the parameters you can imagine including effective range, time it took to charge, efficiency, elevation changes, type of driving, weather conditions and so much more. In regards to the one pedal driving, I actually loved using the paddle shifters as it gave me full control over allowing the vehicle to coast or regen depending on the situation. You can however go into the car settings of the MMI and choose recoperation modes and switch from automatic to manual (I found this backwords but if you choose manual the regen automatically kicks in when you take your foot off the accelarator just like one pedal driving. One thing I would like to recommend to Audi is to create a stronger regen as even on the 2nd setting on the paddle shifter it could still be a higher level of regen or braking. Thanks again for your excellent comments on your well done video. If you google my name you can see lots of info on my coast to coast to coast trip, including lots of videos, media commentary and articles, my youtube channel as well as my website which has access to my complete charging logo.

[@ArthurGreenDesigns]

Thanks for the detailed response!

[@user-gz2ig9ob3j]

My opinions regarding problems with etron 1. Range 2. Affordability is beyond reach for mass consumers 3. Exterior does't stand out. Looks too similar as Q5

[@oidpolar6302]

It's a company (VW group) well known as a cheater (using accelerometer then thermometer to escape emission test overflow). Consider this approach for the etron too.

[@unreliablenarrator6649]

Have you seen one live yet? I did yesterday and the exterior design is a really excellent design, more modern and distinctive than the Qx range and no stupid gimmicks. When my X5 lease expires I will definitely consider eTron. If you want an affordable EV Kia and Hyundai have the best value and excellent range.

[@FlorestanTrement]

Mine would be: 1. The stupid name (I live in France; would you like to have a car written all over with the word turd?) 2. The size: this car is stupid big. It's more a minibus than a car 3. The price. Who can afford that price but the rich? The lowest priced etron I could find on their badly made site was about 6 years of the minimum wage.

[@KJSvitko]

@@oidpolar6302 VW group got caught cheating TWICE with diesel emissions. Seems that the management at VW / Audi / Porsche need to take some business ethics courses. They also need to dump their diesel engines and go all electric. Personally I don't like to deal with liars and cheaters so I avoid them.

[@unlucky5442]

@Wolfgang Preier Are you saying you don't want to drive a car because of the naming ?

[@touchdownraiders2009]

I read Audi wanted to call it “Elon” but Tesla had the copyrights, so they went with Etron instead.

[@AllThingsEV]

Lol 😂

[@bannor99]

and didn't check to see it means "turd" in the language of their largest neighbor

[@jhchooo]

Renault is coming out with their "Scheiße" next year.

[@charliemolda297]

touchdownraiders2009 I get that you were joking, but just in case you didn’t know, the e-tron name has been around for a while, not sure if before Tesla but you get my point

[@anthonycbrown1952]

For many, once they realize you can get the same 'electric drive feel' in other brands (not a Tesla exclusive), more people will consider a BEV.

[@lthundertree6385]

Others have gotten into the ballpark. Both nobody's nailed it like Tesla, yet, though.

[@anthonycbrown1952]

@@lthundertree6385 Tesla had the opportunity to not be encumbered with a 100 year history of auto manufacture and plants around the world designed for ICE manufacture. The potential BEV / Electrified global market is massive and the timeline for transition to full electric drivetrains across the industry is decades - not years. We live in a great age.

[@lthundertree6385]

@@anthonycbrown1952 For light duty vehicles it won't even be "decades".

[@evwannabe593]

@@anthonycbrown1952 Governments around the world will dictate EVs by 2030 in most cases, some already have. LESS than a decade!

[@bigadventure3797]

Let's get real here...This is a compliance car so they can continue selling highly profitable gas cars. If they were serious about selling BEV's they would make a SUV that gets 300 plus miles of range, has OTA updates, a charging network, and Autopilot (and path for L5), all for around $85k. Maybe some hardcore Audi fans that care about the environment may buy this car but no one else, and they know it.

[@michaeljmobley]

The range for the price is just a non starter.

[@TheEnimabandit]

Agree with you Michael its not about the range its the range and price that is crappy, if you look at the price per mile of range its way off the pace. Car is not bad looking for an SUV but not that good looking! Also, the infotainment screen looks small to me maybe just the camera but it seems smallish if you have the maps on then not much room for anything else.

[@mrmichrom8553]

What people don't get is that Audi can't fix it by changing the battery. The battery is already fine. The problem is the rest of the car. Everything about the car is inefficient, so it chews up the battery quickly. You don't want a bigger battery because then the care will be even heavier and more expensive. You want better rolling resistance, better drag coefficient, smaller overall size, better power electronics, fewer computers dotted around, better cooling integration, more efficient motors. Getting there is going to take years for Audi. They've tried before with the Audi A2, but they never made money on it.

[@rogerstarkey5390]

@@mrmichrom8553 The battery doesn't have resilience. That's why they have large buffers and a lot of cooling. Add the drivetrain inefficiency.

[@aaronkendziorek7719]

Exactly

[@strykerace]

if you get this Audi, then you also have to pay for another car for those trips it can't handle. So the price disparity is even more than you think.

[@RayNLA]

I saw one today for the first time in LA! I can see it doing pretty well. Nice job Audi.

[@BigAl60504]

It is so great to watch a review by a professional that delivers facts without a ton of drama. Some of the other car reviewers on here make me crazy!

[@petenice75]

This is the first time I have heard anyone say Etron handles better than any Tesla. All and I mean all KZbin car reviewers who compare e Tron to Tesla say the e Tron feels heavy and drives like an suv. While Tesla especially the model 3 handles exceptionally well. It felt like sean was making excuses for the etron and any critique was “just a little bit” or “slightly” something like that. I have a model s 75d and I take a road trip 2 or 3 times a year so I am the 95% who use it for city driving but every time I take a road trip I wish I just upgraded to the 100d. So 200 mile range would make it not even an option when buying a car. Especially a car that STARTS at $85K.

[@TomHarrisonJr]

I agree that 200 miles of range is plenty, but I already drive an EV so know from real life that range is not an issue. The other 96% of US drivers still have the normal set of concerns: how do I charge, are there charging stations, how far does it go, and so on. Also, the obvious market for the e-tron is current Audi owners, not us crazy Tesla owners -- expectations that it will be "the same" are likely higher. So I think your views are right, but a tad on the generous side. It's nice to hear that there are real reasons why someone would choose the e-tron over a Tesla -- none of the other reviews mentioned these things. It's also encouraging to hear that Electrify America is rolling out quickly. The truth is, even the Tesla styling is off-putting to some people so it's wonderful for buyers to have options.

[@jimcarlisto4534]

I traded my Tesla Model S in last night on an E-tron. What triggered this was the crap service which will get worse if Musk doesn't start paying attention to the customer. Don't get me wrong I was extremely bummed to sell the best car i have ever owned but my problems with service has been since day 1. Just 13 months after owning the car I just gave up. Just a quick recap I ordered a brand new console in my 2015 Models S to be like the current consoles. Expensive (about $900) but what the heck I hated the cup holders in the arm rest. 5 months later Tesla still could not tell me when it might come in. Staff at service center are typically friendly but when I stopped in last week to make appointment for one year service I am quoted one month for a service appointment, I told him my coolant light has come on and he said you should be okay. I inquired about the two recalls and he said should be able to take care of at time of annual service and now THE KICKER, I inquired to make sure I would get a loaner and he said "no guarantee". I have no idea if Tesla keeps appointments open daily for repairs versus service but what if my car had some issues? Would I still be waiting a month to get in for an appointment? At least with Adudi, Jaguar, Ford, etc I can go to a service center and get just that SERVICE. Tesla is such an awesome car but I just can't deal with everything with service being so unorthodox. We have a ton of Model 3's on the road here in Phoenix and the service centers are just backed to the gills. One final comment on why I traded the Tesla in was fear of not getting parts when I needed it.

[@dlwatib]

Thanks for including your location. Not all service centers are as backed up as yours. Phoenix has two service centers, I presume you tried both? Service will get better as the company opens more locations. Sorry you couldn't wait.

[@jimcarlisto4534]

@@dlwatib It still does not address the ability to get parts in a timely manner. Again, it pains me to say anything about Tesla but just keeping it real. Only time will tell if my switch from Tesla to Audi Etron was a good one.

[@miguellopez3392]

@@jimcarlisto4534 tesla is morphing into a energy tech company so focus is being lost on the car side, but its focus on software and charging infrastructure actually end up making more of its customers happy then unhappy from slow service, hes balancing a lot of projects on a limited budget and this is good example of one of the problems it causes.

[@markfitzpatrick6692]

Love your reply

[@davidpearn5925]

For me in Australia I suspect it’s going to be a much bigger financial stretch than a Model 3.

[@markfitzpatrick6692]

david pearn it is not in the model 3 class it is to compete with the model x.

[@RichardFrost]

Tesla is killing it and no other manufacturers come close. This is the car you buy if you just don't like Tesla .

[@davidpearn5925]

At 74 I have a bit of a ‘double tap’ issue now and the Tesla 15” display may actually be too quick and cause me frustration. I snaffled the Vic plates comprising the model designations so I guess I’m biased.

[@Secretlyanothername]

About $149k AUD according to Drive. Not cheap. The 3, or even a Hyundai is a much better deal for most of us.

[@jody024]

Not just in Australia, in Western Europe too. In The Netherlands for example electric driving isn't much cheaper because of taxes. Electric car prices are really high as well.

[@KenHeslip]

Audi needs to convert ICE car drivers...not just other EV drivers.

[@cybertrk]

Ken Heslip ohhh don’t worry they’re not going to convert Tesla drivers without beating wh/mile and autopilot capabilities. But we always invite them to win that race!

[@awhs5435]

if tesla fan boys werent so toxic, sure, but tesla fans are extremely toxic.

[@moi01887]

Agree, but if they want to convert *car* drivers like me, they're going to have to release something that's not a tall bloated SUV. If they release an electric or good hybrid version of the A4 or A5 I'll be first in line to buy one.

[@jacquescristobal6639]

As we all know here, one of the key points when looking at cars in that 21st century, is their abilities to evolve. For such expensive cars, if you want them to succeed and multiply on the roads, you need to make your car smart, you need to get this expensive asset an attractive and genuine investment. Tesla does and created such a smart always evolving car when the other brands don't. With an Audi e-tron you are stuck on the ancient world and paradigm. With Tesla you enter a new field, a new era. For now, let's wait for the Porsche Taycan and VW ID3: will they have these smart patterns leading them and their drivers towards new abilities through time and updates? We'll know that very soon. 😀

[@N8844H]

204 usable miles now, but what about in a Colorado winter? 180? 150? Less? Audi certainly knows how to build cars. Now, they need to find a way to build a car with range numbers Americans can use, year round and feel comfortable with.

[@philipptielmann]

the problem isn’t the battery pack. 95kWh are just fine. the problem is the aerodynamics and overall drive train efficiency. as well as the fact that they reserve about 12kWh as buffer to protect the batteries life (very conservative corporate Approach paired with very little experience).

[@philipptielmann]

John W certainly possible, but as there are no over the air updates you would have to go to the garage for that. also I am not sure if Audi has put enough telemetry in the car to actually see how the degradation of the battery goes. I guess they will play it safe and rather use the buffer to keep the available range steady over time. at tesla you just get a lot at the beginning and than it decreases (very) slowly. maybe audi doesn’t want their customers to feel that aging process?

[@dzonikg]

@John W NO large buffer will mean that your range want fall by the years

[@pioneer7777777]

That would explain why their charge rate stays so high. They have crazy fast charging compared to even Model 3's as you get into higher SOC's.

[@bob15479]

"sufficient" "sufficient" "sufficient" My '98 civic is *"sufficient"*

[@AllThingsEV]

:D

[@kevinlin7494]

Thanks for providing a thorough and honest review.

[@dr-k1667]

Audi drivers... this is a viable option for you if you love the brand and want to no longer pay through the nose for fuel, maintenance and want your style and comfort. It is expensive for what it is, but if you are already an Audi driver than this is in your price range... I am glad you have something to keep you in the brand and if you choose to get off gas, then it's a win.

[@jamesbell8861]

Yes ... This feels like Audi built this car as an alternative fuel choice for their already loyal brand base, rather then trying to convert TESLA owners.

[@andrewc662]

The range shouldn't be off by that big of a margin. You shouldn't give them a free pass just because most people don't drive that far.

[@markfitzpatrick6692]

Sean already covered that Audi is protecting the battery by not using the full range of the battery. This car doesn’t need . To be a carbon copy of a tesla. People like different cars. It does no good to come on here with the negativity towards Audi. If you don’t like the car dont buy it and head to the hundeds of tesla youtube channels that only talk about how tesla is the best and no one can do anything. I love how sean is able to give a honest review of a topic without the bashing you get from a lot of other channels. I like the e tron and thanks Sean for giving electrify america some credit. We have 10 locations in ohio a pretty large state. I have used the columbus ohio location 3 times and i love all the info the screen gives you. I use the app. And dont have a problem. It stores the credit card so you dont need to swipe your credit card. If i had a long range ev. I wouldnt be scared to use ea to make a long road trip. Plenty ea stations around me . 450 locations since april 2018.

[@andrewc662]

Audi has a history of dishonesty. They don't deserve the benefit of the doubt because they criminally cheated customers.

[@rogerstarkey5390]

@@markfitzpatrick6692 Audi are "protecting the battery" because the battery needs protecting. The negativity (more like observation) is justified if Audi steam in with "Electric is going Audi" and boasting of fast charging when "others"😉 can charge to the *actual* Audi range in less time. Then there's that range, *still* quoted as 250, when *every* test (including this one) gets 200. (Can you *imagine* if others were that far off?) You talk about "bashing"? Really? "If you don't like the car don't buy it"? So why the many years of criticism targeted "elsewhere"? Btw, Tesla IS (still) the best by any realistic metric, the question is, *WHY* ? Those "hundreds of channels"? (Why are there that many?) As I asked, why are they the best if so called market leaders have had 5-10 years to procrastinate, design, test, develop and produce better vehicles? Why is Audi *losing money* on every e-tron it will sell in the next 6 years? (at predicted rate) Why were they surprised by the Tesla design expertise, prompting talk of redesign? I could mention recalls? Keep a even bias. ANY and every Tesla enthusiast is an EV enthusiast. They will welcome good quality entering the market, but not unsubstantiated boasting. Unfortunately, the same is happening with Porsche, cherry picking extremely specific unusual tests to gain reputation. It's posturing, nothing more. Get the cars on the road, wait for opinions to form, (like Mercedes, credit due there) don't talk trash when it can't be backed up. ........ Then there's Electrify America. They don't deserve credit! It's a *penalty* network! If would exist (in its current form) if not for Dieselgate! (Luck it does, with the Étron range)

[@princegalaxywalker6273]

I’m with Roger in not giving Audi/ VW/Porsche credit for Electrify America. If it wasn’t for Dieselgate, they probably wouldn’t have any charging stations. VW haven’t been trying to get off fossil fuels and one electric car doesn’t show much commitment. They have talked A LOT about cars coming, but the years tick on. Tesla had to start with higher price cars to get started and then moved to less expensive Model 3, but what is VW and Audi’s excuse for not putting out a car for under 50 thousand dollars., let alone under 80k? I don’t see a reason to support the big auto makers who have done basically nothing to get off fossil fuels, just because they put out an adequate car.

[@yingnyang2889]

Mark Fitzpatrick try driving that range in cold weather. You’ll lose maybe 30-40 % battery in below freezing day. That’s only 120 miles maybe leftover? Then actually drive it, and that range goes down to 90 useable? You can’t get to hardly anywhere from Denver and go 45 miles out in order to have enough juice to come back. Lame review. As soon as I found out the vehicle was being “loaned” from a dealer and he was asked to review it, I think it skewed the results. nothing is for free.

[@smiles9819]

Good review, the more EV options the better but lack of OTA updates and autopilot would be a deal breaker for me. Plus no good chargers other than Tesla in Canada would make this even worse of an option.

[@filip3148]

OTA updates is a dealbreaker for me too. Audi Bmw Mercedes have no clue. They*re fucked

[@markfitzpatrick6692]

Canada has electrify canada and flo. Ken from ev rev show lives near totonto and took his leaf to a electrify canada. location. Tesla had zero when they staerted.

[@claytonroot806]

Tesla Miles 1 day ago I live in London, Ontario Canada, a city of over 400,000 people. Number of Tesla Superchargers here? ZERO, Zilch, Nada! And we're only located along the busiest highway in North America. Yeah Tesla! Good luck owning a Tesla here if you live in an apartment building. To be fair, ANY other High Speed DC Charging options SUCK in this city as well. Even the paltry few Level 2 Chargers are generally blocked by inconsiderate ICE vehicles.

[@markfitzpatrick6692]

Clayton Root you need to move to toronto. I heard tesla say they were going to expand in canada. So much for tesla fanboys that act like they are everywhere.

[@JohnRoss1]

@@claytonroot806 2 New 350 KW CCS/ 100 KW Chademo Chargers at Petro Canada at 401 and Dorchester interchange (currently free). Nearby Woodstock has the superchargers Canadian Tire has installed Flo in Woodstock), not sure if London is getting any.

[@vamptcg]

Audi off to a great start and over the next 5 years should have a phenomenal product

[@Stidfolle]

Don't forget, some of us work out of town sometimes. I have a M3 long range and you basically have 500km of range but realistically 400 if you follow recommended guidelines for the battery. Don't charge over 90% and don't go below 10%. My daily drive at the moment is about 170km to and from work. Add the environmental controls, music, headlights and cabin overheat protection and I end up using about 230-240km per day. I HAVE to plug in every night with the long range version. This does not include winter times either so it will be worse. So for those like me, we want more range. I work construction and we don't have the luxury of having chargers at work or the same commute everyday. Sometimes its 6km to work sometimes its 85km. If the Tesla pickup will fit in my underground parking garage I will get it simply for the extra range. For me, 500 miles is the sweet spot. I'd like to be able to go 2 days without charging. It gets annoying when they keep saying that you don't need that much range. Some of us do, even if part of it is just to feel comfortable and worry free. There's only 1 supercharger in the Ottawa region and its 3-4 levels down in a parking garage where you have to pay. Not great in a pinch, hopefully the new service centre will have some. The "coming soon" ones have been coming for 2 years now. Despite all that, I can never go back to gas.

[@A.Deveneaux]

Sean, Audi and most ICE vehicle manufacturers came late to the game in BEV. Hence, I went for the Model 3 LR. I'm very glad to see options and no one size fits all. I really wish them success because we need a whole lot more competition. For charging, all the 3rd parties need to come together and have a unified approach for better experience.

[@bigadventure3797]

As a Tesla owner... Yes, road noise/cabin noise is something Tesla needs to improve upon. I ended up fully sound deadening my Model 3 which made HUGE improvement.

[@AllThingsEV]

So good to hear!

[@hotlobstahvids]

I turn up the awesome sound system...voila no road noise!

[@bigadventure3797]

@@hotlobstahvids Actually road noise is the enemy of good sound which was the main reason why I added A LOT of sound dampening materials.

[@avesraggiana]

I own both a 2017 Model S and a 2018 Model X. While our Model S is a decided improvement over the earlier builds (2012 - 2016), as far as NVH levels go, both the current Model S and Model X could stand improvements in sound deadening. How about using thicker, or double glass window panes, just like in the higher end luxury brands?

[@trystwithlight]

Can you please elaborate how you did the sound deadening in your model 3?

[@fpartidafpartida]

Great video Sean...thanks for putting this content out.

[@seanjohnsonrn]

Very helpful. Thank you.

[@theoschijf8155]

You clearly like the car. You put a lot of time in it and you have a lot of EV experience. That means a lot to me. Thanks for the review. Audi drivers now have a real good road into the future. Great.

[@rogerstarkey5390]

Confirming that Audi competes with with............. Audi (In a similar fashion to all Legacy makers)

[@markfitzpatrick6692]

Theo Schijf i am glad to hear a educated reply and not complaints like above. I love sean’s videos

[@997NB]

Thank you for an excellent review. I live in the UK and have had my Etron for almost three months. I suspect that the range is a non-issue here because of the much shorter distances travelled. Your review and observations are pretty much in lone with my experience. I would say that the range displayed seems to be more accurate here. I believe that 220-230 miles is reality. Easier driving maybe. I'm very impressed by Teslas, but what swung it for me is the build quality of the Audio, which is fabulous. Also, leasing costs are hugely different here. I pay £580 per month for the Audi. A Model 3 is the same cost and a Model S or Y around £900. So, here the Audi is the cheapest!

[@Alessandro---]

Nigel Bramwell thank you for the UK view ... also, in the Uk there are many etron-trained Audi service points, the nearest Tesla to me is 60 miles away ... while I really like the model 3, Tesla isn’t present enough outside the USA to be the default go to option. Enjoy ... I’m still enjoying my A3 etron every day!

[@jm.something6630]

Hi Nigel, I am in London and currently contemplating between model 3 and etron. Leaning towards etron and anything more you can share about the etron would be gr8. Cheers!!

[@confu2600ify]

Pull the left paddle for re-gen. I like how sporty it makes it feel.

[@fulltimefather-parttimehero]

Great video! Thanks

[@teslamr7333]

Great review! I hope you get your hands on the new Porsche.

[@jamesbell8861]

I agree. I appreciate Sean's candor.

[@zyxt9117]

I don't think the range is enough... you just don't pay 85k for a daily commuter.

[@leemedders4101]

95 percent of driving is done for a daily commuter or less. so yes people do buy cars for daily commutes

[@djjamar]

Who pays 85k and puts tons of miles on such a nice car?

[@palamidagheo4520]

@@djjamar so pay 85k for driving Sundays while putting miles in an ice car / or leaf ? i don t get it

[@loganthefrst]

Just got around to watching, great review, Sean!

[@tedbaxter5234]

What an awesome user interface the Audi has. It reminds me of my Dads 1980's Oldsmobile...How cool is that! Thanks for the review.

[@AllThingsEV]

Hahaha!

[@RemoteSpeed007]

Thank you Audi for bringing an electric car to market. Having said that. For me this should be a 300 miles car, and better acceleration for the money. For a 200 miles car it should be closer to 40-50K. Then for many people OTA updates are becoming a min standard.

[@dzonikg]

SO how much MOdel X cost with has real range off 200 miles? I hate that Tesla fun boys are same like Apple fun boys

[@RemoteSpeed007]

@@dzonikg Where did I say Tesla would be better ? ECQ, I-pace would be a better choice for now - more efficient longer range. And yes the Tesla's are also better - so we should accept any product at any price - NO? What kind of messed up thinking is that? You must be a Audi fan boy, must be hurting to see such low sales on E-trons, yes people buy what they want, E-tron not wanted so much.

[@dzonikg]

@@RemoteSpeed007 i-pace has less range then Etron..ECQ has better range and is cheaper then Etrone..but Etron is bigger ..

[@RemoteSpeed007]

It's people like you that have either reading disability, or just lie to make their point, waste people's time online. You are trying to defend the worst EV' as far as range and efficiency and are still very arrogant about it - amazing... Dieselgate 1 and dieselgate 2 - not enough to humble you yet? Facts below will show you that you are wrong again, based on the manufacturers numbers. I-Pace WLTP range 292 Miles - EPA Range 234 Miles E-tron WLTP: 259 miles - EPA: 204 miles Tesla model X - EPA - 325 miles - *** Tesla has almost 60% more range than the E-tron (121 Miles more on one charge) www.autoblog.com/2019/04/04/audi-e-tron-official-epa-electric-range/

[@RemoteSpeed007]

@@dzonikg Stupid - they don't make a 200 Mile range model X - they make a 325 Mile range one. But for less than half the price they make a model 3 with 240 Miles range.($35000-39000)

[@EVPaddy]

Nice, a Tesla owner that doesn't bash the other EVs.Try the EQC, you might like it even more.

[@rogerstarkey5390]

If you'd been subjected to 10 years of unjustified abuse, I'm sure you may be inclined to at least question mediocre offerings from "opposition"?

[@EVPaddy]

Roger Starkey abused by who, but the e-tron? I feel Tesla is often like a cult...

[@fpartidafpartida]

Coasting is way more efficient than 1 pedal driving. Also Audi eTron mileage prediction is the best in the industry.

[@alexanderringsdorff9107]

You can set regen to manual to keep the one paddle driving locked in.

[@larryspiller15]

204 mile range is a joke in Canada. If you want to be sweating bullets every time your not driving in town then suit yourself lol. Also you had this car 5 days and didn't do a real range test? Sigh

[@TheNativeTwo]

larry Spiller THIS! I keep hearing people say range isn’t an issue... it is BS. I own a model 3 performance for that reason. I burn 100 miles of range one way getting to work every morning. It would be a pain to have to charge at home at night and charge at a charging station on my way home from work. Range IS an issue except for hardcore EV enthusiasts who live 20 minutes drive to work. Range is also needed for road trips... which we do all the time in California going to the beach, mountains, fishing, going to the city... Range DOES matter. Stop saying it doesn’t. Nobody is buying your logic.

[@wai00che00]

@@TheNativeTwo slow sales for these inefficient Audis and Jags. Nobody except for people that like the brand or have no clue about true EVs will buy these. Note the credits are still there. These things are Flops and DOA! Get a Tesla, Chevy, Kia, Nissan, heck I'll even recommend that horrendous looking Honda Clarity over these crap.

[@meowmixmeowmix]

He probably didnt do a range test because its not going to get 200 miles. 200 miles is the max range driving with 100% efficiency. No Jack rabbit starts from a green light, no ac, no recording driving footage etc.

[@whattheschmidt]

Exactly. The range issue of the Etron IS an issue. 204 miles becomes what in the winter? 120 miles if you are lucky? Can you preset the charge to finish right before you leave the house so the battery is warm? What will the range be in 6-8 years when you go to sell it? Resale value will be very telling and I'm guessing way lower than any Tesla. It definitely has some positives but overall is not quite there. In the US/Canada I would say we need 150+ miles winter range bare minimum.

[@TheNativeTwo]

whattheschmidt i burn 27% of my 310 miles during the summer, one way to work. Winter, 35%... and this is in California! No snow. Range drops significantly with EVs during the winter. Think about it, an ICE engine is 20%-30% efficiency, where does that 70%-80% energy go? Waste Heat! What to do with waste heat? Pump it into the car to warm passengers. No loss to range, just redirecting the waste heat. It is an issue with EVs... and how do we overcome it? More RANGE. So range matters with an EV. Just how it is. Which is why I bought a Tesla. It is the only car with enough range to actually make it a “real” car that can replace my old ICE car without having to make any concessions to a more difficult lifestyle.

[@amauryslavandier5010]

I think you’re under estimating range. You seem to forget we are still in summer. Once winter comes those 200 miles of range will quickly evaporate. Range is king with EV. Anything less than 280 miles isn’t worthy.

[@udishomer5852]

Depends ... some people live in warm climates, others just don't drive that much. As long as the charging infrastructure is there, I don't see a range problem.

[@KyleHubb]

Amaurys Lavandier SR+ Model 3 is 240. In fact, there isn’t any other EV with a 280 mile range now, other than the LR Model 3 and the Raven S & X.

[@amauryslavandier5010]

In the context of this video and the e-tron in this part of the country it is only practical for very low driving in the winter. Those 205 miles will be reduced to about 155 miles. Trying to stretch that and you risk running out. If you can live with that then it is fine. However it will require daily charging. My old model S 75D used to give me about that much. Keeping warm and all is a big drain. I consider the 204 miles of the eTron I adecúate.

[@ashrashand6039]

Re your critics of the need to use the break pedal vs one pedal driving, Audi have said that when designing the e-trinity, they wanted their traditional ICE engined Audi customers to feel at home. This is also reflected in the body design of the car. Also just as importantly, they said that one pedal driving would not engage the break lights, which might be a safety issue. By using the break pedal, the break lights light up whenever you slow down, whether by regen or actual breaking.

[@EVsteve80]

Thank you for the excellent comparison. I’m trying to make a decision between the Model S and the e-Tron. The e-Tron has a 360 camera system which is outstanding, and that may be the deciding factor for me.

[@sparkpaul]

I like the review but I think you were too nice to the etron in your critique. Even when you bring up their short comings, you would say it was a “little bit” of... it’s not possible to be unbiased especially when some one nice hand you the car to review

[@omelvold]

Can you be more specific, where do you think Sean was too nice? Have it occurred to you that Audi actually knows a thing or two about making cars, and in many ways it's actually as good- or better than a Tesla? :-) Maybe not for you, or for someone who appreciates certain areas where Tesla are better, like on the IT side of things, the charging network, the GUI, the mobile app. However, I would say in most areas, the e-tron car looks, feels and performs great compared to a Model X.

[@joewilder]

Some car company should sell their EV with the ability to upgrade the battery to the next better battery coming out when it happens. That would have been great in the Kia Soul. I think they actually don't want to sell very many. These cars are just made to keep them in the EV game until it becomes mature and battery tech advances.

[@daniels7862]

I love my 19 e tron prestige. No complaints other than the side mirrors are a bit small, adaptive cruise steering could use improvement, and it doesn’t stop you from rolling back unless you’re in auto brake hold.

[@RuneVenes]

4:45 that car knew how to reverse fast...

[@Emc973]

Thanks for the review, sounds like a solid vehicle overall. Not bad for a first time, next version could be better.

[@wardbell7252]

Very fair and positive. One oversight ... you didn’t discuss OTA (Over the air) updates. I don’t think the e-tron has that. Also, recharging at home is great ... if you have a house. Recharging is more challenging if you live in an apartment or condo (it’s challenging for Tesla owners too). You also skipped over the matter of AI-backed features (what does e-tron offer?). I think the lack of OTA would concern me the most.

[@AllThingsEV]

Fair point.

[@BillB33525]

OTA updates, while successful most of the time, there was just a report of a model 3 BRICKED by an OTA update. The customer was unable to drive the car for 30 minutes while Tesla worked the problem. Something to think about when accepting an OTA UPDATE.

[@charlech]

@@BillB33525 source? I have a model 3 and never had such issue, like hundreds of thousands of other owners

[@charlech]

audi still doesn't have OTA update in 2020? laughable

[@davidgiles9751]

Totally agree on regen braking - give the customer the option as to what they like.

[@BostonPower]

E TRON IS BEAUTIFUL WHEN BLUE OR WHITE

[@touchdownraiders2009]

What about self driving features, does it have 8 cameras, security? Are the batteries liquid cooled? How long does it take to charge vs Tesla?

[@markfitzpatrick6692]

touchdownraiders2009 it has 150 kw charging that is fast enough.

[@miguellopez3392]

@John W what is the mixture of cobalt on the anode to the cell type they are using?

[@miguellopez3392]

@John W yes, you can also include non metals.

[@miguellopez3392]

@John W what is the longest word I said?

[@miguellopez3392]

@John W no, I want to know what you consider to be a long word to measure your intelligence.

[@Bass2Bassnet]

Range vs Price! Just love driving my Tesla3...

[@unlucky5442]

It's cheaper than a standard model x, and literally have the same range.. so I mean, ehh

[@Bass2Bassnet]

@@unlucky5442 maybe so but the model x was released in September 2015.... 4 years from now!

[@miguellopez3392]

@@unlucky5442 base X now has 325 miles of range its 85K for model X , the Etron has 204 miles.

[@unlucky5442]

@@miguellopez3392 Meant standard though, didn't know the quit selling that one. It had 229 miles. Also, I know someone with the etron and he said he managed to get like 380km or 235 miles. (cruising at the highway) Also, don't take this as shitting on the X, I really love the X, but y'all r biased agaisnt the etron, that's why I'm defending it.

[@miguellopez3392]

@@unlucky5442 you can drive 700 miles in a model 3 if you cruise at 25mph, it really depends if you do city or highway driving.

[@sc3140]

Great review!

[@EkteMajor]

Being a E tron owner myself, I think its a great car. Audi done a good Job. I live in Norway and every car i see, is electric. And everyone driving like assholes in expensive teslas and BMW i3's. Lucky you Who dont have to experience speed cameras, speeding drivers, and alot and i Mean ALOT of speed bumps. But tbh i like the e tron more than the tesla. Been in a S before. Quite good car. Better one in performance but comfort and road noise is e tron the worthy winner. Cheers -Johannes

[@ruirodtube]

I’m hoping AUDI/VW will figure out how to improve the efficiency of their electric vehicles. For the moment they just waste electricity and have poor range.

[@allencrider]

For now they have to depend on third party battery makers to supply them.

[@unlucky5442]

There's nothing wrong with the batteries really. The grill makes it less aerodynamical. Apparently some ev enthusiasts did a race between a model x and an e-tron between 2 cities I think. The e-tron won because it's able to charge a lot quicker than the e-tron, justifying the range. Also the range is closer to 225 miles, really. A standard model x have about 240.

[@miguellopez3392]

@@unlucky5442 standard model X is 325 miles of range now.

[@ronalaska2472]

Insulation around the doors in a “model 3 man” video seems to take care of the cabin noise and at half the price and American made I will stick with Tesla! Not to mention full self driving!

[@AllThingsEV]

🙂

[@L1GHT119]

YES, I did that on my model 3 performance and am buying another model 3 performance.... absolutely first thing I do . So much quieter!

[@johnnytampocao7671]

Great review, very informative.🏎🏎🏎🏎

[@richardlinares6314]

The e-Tron is really only a good choice for 2+ vehicle households where the other vehicle is a Tesla or ICEV. Or if you have a close family member that will swap cars when you need to take a long trip.

[@andrepoon]

No autopilot. No dog mode. No sentry mode. Less range. No dedicated super charging network. Question is, why would you NOT get a Tesla... given the price...

[@Yutani_Crayven]

It's as he said, it has "a place" on the EV market and "it's better than any other Audi"… but it doesn't seem competitive with Tesla or even with a Nissan Leaf when it comes to price : performance.

[@pekkapeltola2642]

In Europe the situation with tesla is totally different than US. Many people just don't want tesla... And maybe that is because all the fake news about tesla... :D

[@L1GHT119]

Exactly and I just bought my second model 3 Performance, this one brand new for only $51,000🤯👆

[@unlucky5442]

As Pekka Peltola said. Here in Europe the 150 kw Ionity charging network is almost bigger than Tesla's network. The e-tron or the Mercedes EQC seem to be a better option for a lot of people here in Europe as the Tesla is a better option in the U.S.

[@pekkapeltola2642]

Unluckyness that's right. And many prefers german cars so tesla could has hard time tos sell cars in the future but will see...

[@elontusk5553]

If you look at the specs of a 2013 model S vs the etron it's clear that Audi is far behind. I'm always glad to see serious electric cars being made by mainstream manufacturers. However the weakest link in this chain is the one you seem to be promoting the most, the dealer. If you ever have tried to buy an electric vehicle from an ICE dealer you'd already have known this. The Audi dealers have the best Audi made but they're more interested in stealing Tesla drivers and not selling to Audi owners.

[@remkojacobs9309]

I switched from a model x 100d to a etron 55 sportback. I actually think the etron is superior in many areas. The auto pilot in my experience simply is not good enough yet. As long as it suffers from things like phantom breaking I don't think it's that useful. In short the difference between Audi and tesla comes down to gimmicks and features vs quality and reliability. For example the headlight in the etron are in another universe vs Tesla. Same for things like ride quality or quality of the interior. Another thing is the software. Audi software lacks features but it is rock solid compared to glitchy Tesla software. In the end it comes down to what aspects you value more. If you want cool new experimental features go with Tesla. If you want quality, reliability and maybe some features like headup display, car play, advanced headlights go with Audi.

[@BradleyBaker]

Very nice review. Objective and concise.

[@AJ-bi6ns]

Bought a Q5e as I often need to go on commutes longer than the Etron range and charging network isn’t quite established yet. But seriously considering the Etron as a second car. It’s a beauty

[@johnparsons3454]

I saw the etron on the road today for the first time and it looked like the perfect size for my family. I then looked up the price. Utterly ridiculous.

[@Mrbfgray]

Music to my ears cuz I bet the ranch on TSLA 1.5 yr.s ago. :D

[@robertpryor7225]

Range not very good, so you say most people don't need that range. At that price it's a FAIL. You're falling in love with your side chick, don't tell your Tesla.

[@robertpryor7225]

No charging network but at least it's more expensive than a Tesla, that's a strong 2nd place. You don't need, you don't need ... You don't need an e-tron, buy a bolt or a Tesla make up your mind.

[@robertpryor7225]

I will consider that e-tron.. a loser versus a 2013 Tesla

[@AllThingsEV]

I love this comment!

[@EVPaddy]

@@robertpryor7225 if range is all you care for. If you want to enjoy the time being in the car, it may be another question.

[@rogerstarkey5390]

@@EVPaddy Needs to be comfortable when at the charger!

[@gr8boydk]

I particularly liked the segment on the self driving functions of the vehicle. Looks like Audi is really setting out to change the playing field here.

[@MarkLLawrence]

You need some sound to come in from the outside, sirens from emergency services are one reason. Just yesterday in my Model 3 I didn't hear an oncoming ambulance until it was only 500 feet away.

[@tarassu]

I'm actually concerned for the health of Tesla fan community. Looking at Like/Dislike ratio of this video...l see an unhealthy situation. Tesla lovers are pretty... aggressive with their love.

[@cybertrk]

Arnis I think it’s because this seems illogical to get a 200 mile range Audi for $80k when you could get a maxed out model 3 and add the noise reduction kit for $50 and have double the value for $20k less

[@tarassu]

@@cybertrk Well here is the philosophy of a vehicle. You can get 200 miles on a train as well. With no radio. Model 3 offers very little. No seat ventilation, no massage. No extremely bright headlights (well no Tesla has that). And of course you will never get even close to e-tron quietness and vertical oscillation comfort (how jumpy is the vehicle on not ideal roads). There is room for stripped out vehicles and also luxury vehicles.

[@cybertrk]

Arnis you could easily install those features on the model 3 and still save $100,000

[@pogo1140]

@@cybertrk Not without replacing the struts and installing the associated pumps and controller which will cost more than the difference. That being said, I'm not a fan of pneumatic suspensions as they are an expensive repair waiting to happen.

[@mikemarklin2105]

Thanks for the review of the Audi. I have just completed a 5000 mile road trip to the Pacific NW in my model 3 AWD. On longer trips a longer range is almost essential. I agree that a 200 mile range is adequate around town for 95% of driving but the critical factor is the need for a more practical range on longer trips. I have to use the same car around town and on longer trips. You also didn’t mention whether over the air software updates are part of the package or whether there are any self driving functions. On my road trip I found the navigation on autopilot relieved the tedium of driving even though it needs some improvements. The improvements will happen and I will get them automatically in my Tesla.

[@mwong74tube]

Assuming both cars are on the same level, I would choose Tesla over Audi for two reasons: 1) it's American 2) its CEO has an aspiration to go to Mars.

[@BillB33525]

Our local Audi gave us an eTron loaner while our Q5 was in for service. We enjoyed the eTron and found the performance and ride to be exceptional. Bjorn has the eTron as the quietest EV on the market. When all the DC Fast Chargers get up to 150 KW or more the short range battery will not be an issue. On a long trip it’s good to stop every 3 hours to stretch the legs and take a rest.

[@rogerstarkey5390]

He's driven the Mercedes since. Range, yes, you can drive 3 hours and charge. But in the Audi (long trip car type!) IF there's a queue, or a charger issue (not unknown) you're stuck. And even if you get the charge, you MUST stop for the 40 minute full charge. "Others" are literally topping up, if they need it.

[@dhackos]

Software is EVERYTHING! Audi just cannot even start to come close to Tesla in this regard. Without software updates, the car is essentially dead right after you purchase. And the price point is WAY too high for such a low mileage range. I agree that range is unimportant for daily driving, but I love the ability to drive up to Lake Tahoe from San Francisco and back in my Model 3 with just one quick Supercharge session.

[@markfitzpatrick6692]

David Hackos what if service is more important than software uodates. He likes the car he bought . You act like it is the end of the word if you dont buy a tesla wrong .

[@j.kevinmcnary9561]

Mark Fitzpatrick Except Teslas don't usually need service. With the eTurd, you will need good service to handle the recalls.

[@markfitzpatrick6692]

J. Kevin McNary wrong as usual kevin. Lots of tesla repair stories on youtube

[@j.kevinmcnary9561]

Mark Fitzpatrick My Model 3 was delivered perfect 9 months and 7500 miles ago and remains so. Tell me about your personal experience with yours. Not some bullshit FUD or KZbin click baiters.I've noticed a lot of antiTesla assholes love to run their mouth in comments based on what some other antiTesla asshole with no personal experience has commented. Have you noticed that?

[@markfitzpatrick6692]

J. Kevin McNary tesla bjorn is not anti tesla

[@lyfandeth]

Watching the lines, 10-30 cars deep, fueling for a possible hurricane evacuation, I had to wonder. If they were electric, with 1/2 the range and an hour to charge instead of ten minutes...I think you badly underestimate what range anxiety and slow charging can mean. Especially when the powerlines go down.

[@udishomer5852]

I'm 49, and never had to evacuate quickly from anywhere. Maybe for some people in the US its a factor, but not to the majority of the world's population.

[@bobwallace9753]

If you plug in when you get home the night before evac day then you'll leave with a fully charged battery and 200 miles takes you well out of the danger zone. If the power lines go down gas pumps aren't going to work..

[@JBoy340a]

If there is no electricity, those 10-30 cars in the gas line are not going to fuel up since the gas must be pumped up from underground tanks. The good thing about an EV is you can charge it at home. If you watch TV and see the storm is coming you just ensure the car is plugged every time you are home. Then you can be assured the car has max range if you need to evacuate.

[@bobwallace9753]

@@JBoy340a Taking it further. In the event of potential evacuation your EV might get a signal to automatically charge to 100%. If your EV isn't plugged in you might get a notification to charge up if you expect you might need to use your EV to move out of the danger zone.

[@godislove025]

My great friend worked as a Audi service technician and he said Audi is not good in electronics and this car is all electrical. No thank! I choose the American company, Tesla!

[@jpe1]

godislove025 as someone who has owned two Teslas, the Audi is a much better quality car; just because something is “made in America” doesn’t mean it’s well made (after all, the El Camino and Caballero were built at the Freemont plant before Teslas were built there).

[@josefv8708]

Cable tree is from Dräxlmaier in Bavaria, like it is true for other OEMs, too...no difference if AUDI or Tesla. By the way at least 36 suppliers from Germany deliver parts for Tesla... Conti, Bosch, Bilstein etc. ...same like any other OEM getting parts from the very same German suppliers. The Tesla Production line is from Grohmann Germany... Now bought by Tesla.

[@eganjos1]

Great review per usual, Sean

[@AllThingsEV]

Thanks

[@caladanian]

9 minutes not being able to unplug the charging cable before it “magically” releases? 🙈

[@treborg777]

Marco Schön Bjorn Nyland had the same thing happen to him at least once when he tested the Etron. Really unacceptable.

[@Alessandro---]

Reading the manual and/or knowing Audi vehicles helps. The cable is held locked to prevent cable theft (they are expensive) just unlock the car from the key fob or the proximity sensor if fitted, and the cable will be unlocked instantly.

[@cybertrk]

“Ohhh no big deal I’d still pay $80k for this 200 mile range car over a Tesla” Yeahhhh... something’s not right about this review. If Tesla had those specs and problems it would be blasted at headline breaking news on all major news outlets that large autos pay for advertising. I bet large auto are starting to see the value in starving youtubers and I’d question the motivations of many of the statements in this video

[@deepuz]

Good review... but - Really Sean?? I felt the acceleration sucked in the eTron!! It wasn't fun at all...sorry! This is coming from a Tesla M3 AWD owner.... Even the Audi sales rep...wanted me to give him a demo of the Tesla and i had to take him for a spin..... he was like... "Woah!!! This really is something else..." :) I ended up ordering a Used Model X P90D with low mile...for much lesser price than the eTron...and better electric range and a ton of power : 0-60 in 3.2s for a 6k lbs SUV!! ;-)

[@incognitotorpedo42]

@@officialyasir It's a fully fueled Saturn V. Acceleration is insane.

[@rogerstarkey5390]

@@officialyasir Fat kids?

[@deepuz]

@Yas - I meant lbs... LoL 😂 Waiting for the delivery now

[@deepuz]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/rJyVlJetpcxjoKs

[@xxwookey]

Does carplay/android auto put all apps on the screen or only special chosen ones? e.g I want to use OSM mapping, not Google's or Apples'. Do I got that choice? Does an app have to declare itself as 'car compatible' to get shown?

[@user-kb8gh5jv9t]

Sean, on your regen portion... did you try the ‘manual’ function? You can set it one time to either coast, mild or moderate regen which allows one pedal driving (in mild and moderate) and on my test drive did not disengage as you mentioned, unless I misunderstood!? Otherwise great review, thx!

[@Robo10q]

Sounds like you are trying very hard not the be a Tesla fanboy. Yes other EVs should exist and in some areas are better than a Tesla. On the whole, Teslas are still the best.

[@AllThingsEV]

There’s a reason why Tesla is the market leader.

[@martinwinlow]

Wow! No one-pedal driving?!! What were they thinking?!!! Deal-killer for me, I'm afraid.

[@remkojacobs9309]

Not really. I am used to using one pedal driving in the model x and you can do it more or less the same in the etron but the weird thing is that you have to 'shift down' with the paddles fist. I have no clue why they do this but in practice you can drive with one pedal. I think the confusion comes from the fact that regen is in auto mode by default and you have switch it to manual so you can put in in max regen mode the whole time.

[@teropiispala2576]

Thank's for a honest rewiew. What comes to regen and how it is implemented, some people like one pedal and others two. For me, two pedals are better as long as you feel the difference between regen and mechanical break. It is propably safer to have one pedal for breaks and one for acceleration. What comes to efficiency, it is always better to roll freely than regen and regen before using breaks. As long as you and the traffic is ok with slowly decreasing speed, it is more efficient. Mechanical energy is used with 100% efficiency when regeneration efficiency is 50-70%.

[@dzerres]

Why wear out your brakes if you don't have to?

[@teropiispala2576]

@@dzerres No reason to do so. Regen is better as long as it is enough. In double pedal operation, regen is increased first and only when it's not sufficent, breaks are activated. Safety comes from reaction time when more force is needed. It is faster to press pedal more than make a descision that regen is not enough and move leg to another pedal. Also when car rols freely when acceleration is lifted, you more likely don't use regen when it is not needed. When you are learned to do this either way, it feels more convenient to you, but these are the reasons why I think two pedals are better.

[@stangmatt66]

Updating your phone to iOS 13 would solve most of your CarPlay problems. The home screen now shows maps, audio, and Siri smart suggestions at the same time. And, now CarPlay and the phone can show two different apps. It no longer kicks you out of the CarPlay app when you change apps on the phone.

[@dhackos]

Another thing to point out is that the E-tron is still an Audi, part of the VW group. This carmaker was willing to install cheat devices on their diesel vehicles, causing much greater emissions than are allowed by regulators. There is a proven direct relationship between higher pollution levels and shorter lifespan, and a study published in the journal Nature showed that VW’s excess diesel emissions during the first dieselgate scandal led to 38,000 premature deaths worldwide per year. These people clearly have no integrity. You would have expected them to learn their lesson after being caught, but we now find that they have continued to cheat in Europe except in a certain temperature range, and South Korea recently had to kick out several VW cars including Audis because they were continuing to cheat there. If they can manage to stop cheating for, say, 5 years, I might consider given them money again. Otherwise it’s hard to justify giving money to a company that apparently values profits over human life.

[@kundansharma3989]

Even thought you were not paid, it seems like a paid review. When driving the vehicle, people just do not drive around to hotel and restaurant to meet friends and get convinced that 200m range is enough in 80k vehicle. People would want to travel and show their vehicle and etron would be pain in butt with range of 200 m without thier super charger.

[@tuan056585]

Audi is my dream car! (RS7). This this video, one thing I like about this Audi e tron vs the Tesla model Y: The traditional interior design rather than just the 15" iPad in Tesla!

[@RichTeer]

This is a great, balanced review, Sean: nice one! I'm not a huge fan of Audi's design language (the original TT notwithstanding; loved that car!) but that doesn't matter because I'm not the target demographic for the e-tron. However, people who DO like Audi's design language and are looking for a Q5-sized vehicle are the target demographic and it that case it makes total sense for them to seriously consider the e-tron rather than the Q5.

[@timberangry1]

Range issues aside, buying any NEW car that isn't a Tesla is a terrible decision at this point, simply because of lack of future FSD capability. If you need a car, by a cheaper used car, or a Tesla.

[@sat7755]

It is amazing how much enthusiasm money can build up. Your description of the car superlatives, goes beyond credibility, for the known under performance and overpriced reality of the E Tron seating in dealers lot and not selling at all, tells a different story of the car failure in the market place. Here I think you have thrown your credibility out of the window.

[@edwardanugent]

Just bought a 2019 with 10K miles for $37K. Cannot wait till I get it.

[@declanfurlong6589]

To use single pedal drive you have to switch to manual, then use flappy paddle to set regen level which will be maintained, you do not have to set it every time

[@Johntkr]

Sean I enjoy many of your videos. Your Sandy Munro interview was excellent! My issue with Audi is trust; they are owned by Volkswagon. Why believe what they claim beyond riding in one; this tells you almost nothing about safety, longevity of the battery and software advances in the future. Remember their lies about ICE emissions, so I do not trust their safety claims and quality of batteries. Just during the past few months they made emission claims on their ICE vehicles that only applied under optimal weather conditions; otherwise they failed in emission requirements. Many auto manufactures make their vehicles especially strong where they know will impact during collision tests, and relatively weak in other areas.Tesla makes their vehicles strong whether collision area for testing or not. Also, does the e-tron have something comparable to Tesla Autopilot? Even people who do not care about Autopilot, resale value is lower and insurance cost is higher than Tesla if they do not have it. Buyers of a used Tesla have the option of upgrading to Autopilot. Tesla just opened auto insurance for Tesla vehicles only in California at a 20 to 30 percent discount rate. Insurance for Tesla owners will be in each state over time; maybe in other countries. Tesla has the Supercharger network; does Audi have something comparable, now?. When the batteries get weak, I can well imagine Audi charging far more than Tesla to replace them. If you buy Audi, the dealer and car sales person will add 25% to the purchase cost. If e-tron fails to sell well, which is likely, good luck when they discontinue the e-tron.

[@AllThingsEV]

This is a great point. I will address the trust issue when I speak with Porsche next week.

[@charlech]

i'm wouldn't deal with a super immoral company like VW either

[@peterpold]

It would be impossible to travel from Phoenix to Las Vegas with the Audi

[@markfitzpatrick6692]

Peter Pold wrong. Check electrifyamerica.com

[@peterpold]

@@markfitzpatrick6692 i checked this route according to the Electrify America website. You have to make a detour thru Flagstaff and then go from Flagstaff to Las Vegas which is 254 miles

[@markfitzpatrick6692]

I just checked it from apple maps using i 17 from phenix to flagstaff is 115 miles charger to charger. Newscolumn on youtube made it from la to vegas several times in his bolt ev.

[@peterpold]

@@markfitzpatrick6692 Flagstaff to Las Vegas is 254 Miles you can go that far with the e-tron in eco mode without air conditioning driving slow speed. Go ahead and punish yourself

[@markfitzpatrick6692]

Peter Pold the key word is you said it was impossible to travel to vegas and it is not impossible. I cant afford a tesla or etron i just hate the constant bashing of other non tesla ev’s on every youtube video . Mostly by tesla owners or fans we all need to support more ev’s in the world no matter the manufacture.

[@stevebeyer842]

Thanks for the honest assessment Sean. I really hope other manufacturers can really start converting from ICE to electric. I agree that Tesla could work on some road noise issues. I really love my FSD features and range on my PM3 - but Apple/Android integration would also be handy.

[@jeffkeryk3550]

Great review; thanks Sean. So informative. One thing regarding charging infrastructure. Apartment dwellers, etc, need infrastructure. Not everyone is a home owner. All good.