Electric Audi A4 E-Tron due by 2026 to rival Tesla Model 3

October 24: Next-gen 2026 Audi A4 E-Tron coming

The sixth-generation Audi A4 sedan will reportedly offer an all-electric option to compete against the popular Tesla Model 3.

Autocar [↗] reports the medium luxury sedan will go on sale overseas by the end of 2025, with a design that “closely matches” the upcoming A6 and Q6 E-Tron EVs.

The A4 E-Tron is expected to use Audi and Porsche’s co-developed Premium Platform Electric (PPE), which is capable of an 800-volt class battery architecture to achieve a 270kW maximum DC charging speed.

4

The Audi A4 will follow the 2021 A6 E-Tron concept (pictured)

The British publication reports it’ll house a new-generation lithium-ion battery with a nickel-manganese-cobalt (NMC) cathode, which has a usable size of around 100kWh for an estimated 644 kilometres claimed driving range.

In addition to regular single motor, rear-wheel drive 45 E-Tron and dual motor, all-wheel drive 55 E-Tron variants, a high-performance S4 E-Tron is said to produce up to 380kW. An even hotter RS4 E-Tron is on the cards.

As previewed by the Q6 E-Tron electric SUV, the A4 E-Tron will feature an evolutionary new interior design with protruding displays running Google’s Android Automotive operating system.

A traditional internal combustion engine model will also be available, likely with the A5 badge, in line with the German automaker’s strategy to name EVs with even numbers.

Our original story continues unchanged below.

May 27, 2021: Audi A4 and RS4 to get the E-Tron treatment

The Audi A4 and RS4 are set to get the E-Tron treatment, with both fully-electric and hybrid versions expected by 2023.

According to a report by British website Autocar, insiders close to Ingolstadt say the next-generation of A4 will use a revised version of the MLB platform which will be modified to allow the use of hybrid motors in the line-up, while the fully-electric variant will utilise the Premium Platform Electric (PPE) architecture jointly developed with between Audi, Porsche and Volkswagen.

Gearbox options are set to be slimmed down to either a seven-speed dual-clutch or eight-speed torque converter auto as the manual option is set to disappear from the line-up entirely.

4

Audi's current RS4 could receive hybrid assistance in the next generation

The long-serving EA888 four-pot turbo engine will undergo further changes to meet ever-tightening Euro emission standards, being mated to one of two hybrid systems; either a mild-hybrid with on-board charging only, or a plug-in hybrid option which would allow the car to be driven on the electric motor alone.

For the top-of-the-range RS4, the plug-in hybrid will keep the existing variant's 2.9-litre, twin-turbo V6 assisted by an electric motor boosting the already impressive 331kW/600Nm figures, while it's thought the electric-only RS4 E-Tron could produce 350kW/800Nm using a dual motor.

Hybrid power comes from either a 48-volt system in the mild-hybrid set-up, or, Audi's 14.4kWh lithium-ion battery, also found in the Q5, A6 and A7, in the plug-in hybrid version. The E-Tron's 800-volt architecture meanwhile is likely to allow up to 700km of range and 270kW recharging capabilities from a DC charger.

4

Audi's current E-Tron GT will likely share hardware with the RS4 E-Tron

Audi will still offer the A4 as either a sedan or wagon with dimensions remaining similar to the current model, Although it's thought the E-Tron will adopt styling more reflective of the rest of the RS E-Tron range, launching as a Sportback closer in shape to the A5 to set it apart from its hybrid sibling.

More features will be available in the BMW 3 Series and Mercedes-Benz C-Class rival, from rear-wheel steering and adaptive dampers in some variants, to new semi-autonomous driving tech and near-field communication (NFC) capabilities in others, allowing payments for things such as fuel to be made from inside the car through the MyAudi app.

The new A4 is expected to go on sale in Europe in 2023 with the E-Tron variants hitting showrooms in 2024 as a rival to the Tesla Model 3, with the RS versions to follow.