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It took Germany's automaker almost ten years to create a credible opponent for Tesla's Model S electric sedan on four wheels.
The result: the Audi E-Tron GT, which the Ingolstadt-based company presented at the beginning of February 2021.
We have already been able to drive the vehicle that will go on sale in the spring.
Photo: Audi
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Externally, the E-Tron GT presents itself as a four-door with many edges in the exterior, elongated hatchback, jagged taillights.
The most important feature, however, is a battery that makes further tours possible: With the almost 600 hp RS version, Audi specifies a range of 433–472 kilometers according to the WLTP test cycle.
Photo: Audi
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In everyday life - this is how much our short test shows - with moderate motorway driving, this is well over 300 kilometers.
Thanks to the technology adopted from the Porsche Taycan, the GT charges faster than its US counterpart Tesla.
Our test car battery could be filled from almost 30 percent remaining capacity to over 80 percent within 25 minutes at a fast Ionity charging station - that's a few minutes faster than the competition.
Photo: Audi
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However, the Audi driver also has to find one of the few Ionity charging stations where there is full power.
As of mid-March, there are a little more than 60 charging stations in this country.
With a Model S that would have taken only a few more minutes at Tesla's own Supercharger charging stations.
However, these are also rare in Germany: currently only a little more than a dozen superchargers offer the highest level of expansion with 250 kW charging power.
The rest creates 100 kW less - and thus only charges half as fast.
The point "Advantage through charging technology" is clearly going to Audi at the moment.
Photo: Audi
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Audi equips the infotainment system with many touch tiles - while Tesla captures everything on its giant touchscreen.
Deciding what is better now is a matter of taste.
The performance of the RS version with 600 hp that we tested impressed even die-hard fans of combustion engines: when accelerating, the GT accelerates smoothly, and you hardly feel any lateral forces in bends thanks to the well-contoured seats.
Photo: Daniel Wollstein / Audi
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The steering is crisp, the Audi drives very well around corners, similar to its older brother, the Taycan.
On longer journeys I found the suspension to be much more comfortable than the tight damping of the GT relative.
The power consumption of the Audi tour guide was a little over 20 kilowatt hours per 100 kilometers at a moderate motorway speed - and thus only slightly above Tesla's Model S.
Photo: Audi
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Overall, however, it does not come nearly as far; when driving quickly on country roads and motorways, the screen turns black after a maximum of 350 kilometers;
the Tesla can do a good 70 kilometers more.
Good planning is also required when it comes to luggage: the GT's trunk is only half the size of that of the Model S.
Photo: Audi
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The E-Tron GT is the first electric car foray under Audi's new boss
Markus Duesmann
(51).
So far, Audi has had two battery-electric models in its program with the SUV E-Tron and its coupé variant - which are rather expensive, consume significantly more electricity than Tesla's Model S and have comparatively short ranges.
Duesmann started as Volkswagen's top Tesla fighter and will soon be adding the Q4 electric compact SUV.
In the coming years, Audi wants to invest 15 billion euros in the electric offensive.
Photo: Audi
