The new 2023 Audi Q4 e-tron and Q4 Sportback e-tron arrived in the United States, but they are in a significantly more difficult market position than in 2022, mostly due to higher prices and lack of eligibility for the $7,500 federal tax credit.
The electric Q4 is offered in three versions - rear-wheel drive Q4 e-tron SUV, all-wheel drive Q4 e-tron SUV, and all-wheel drive Q4 Sportback e-tron.
All three versions are equipped with an 82-kilowatt-hour (kWh) battery, out of which 76.6 kWh is usable, and a 150-kilowatt (kW) electric motor in the rear. The all-wheel drive version also hs an additional 80-kW electric motor in the front.
According to the official EPA data, the Combined range of the entry-level Audi Q4 40 e-tron is 265 miles (426 km), which is noticeably more than in the case of the AWD versions.
The Audi Q4 50 e-tron (AWD) has an EPA range of 236 miles (380 km). Interestingly, that's 5 miles or 2 percent less than in the case of the 2022 model year (241 miles).
We don't know what caused the difference, especially since the Audi Q4 Sportback e-tron gets 242 miles (389 km) of EPA range, one mile more than a year ago.
Overall, it seems that the average energy consumption is very similar to the values from a year ago. The EPA says that the entry-level version requires 327 watt-hours per mile (203 Wh/km) in the Combined test cycle, including charging losses. The addition of the front motor increases the energy consumption of AWD versions by roughly one-tenth.
2023 Audi Q4 40 e-tron 19-inch
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2023 Audi Q4 40 e-tron 19-inch :: EPA Range rating by InsideEVs [Electric Vehicle 2-cycle label] | |
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Combined City Highway |
265 miles (426 km) N/A N/A |
| EPA Energy consumption (including charging losses): | |
|
Combined City Highway |
103 MPGe: 327 Wh/mi (203 Wh/km) 112 MPGe: 301 Wh/mi (187 Wh/km) 94 MPGe: 359 Wh/mi (223 Wh/km) |
2023 Audi Q4 50 e-tron quattro 19-inch
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2023 Audi Q4 50 e-tron quattro 19-inch :: EPA Range rating by InsideEVs [Electric Vehicle 2-cycle label] | |
|
Combined City Highway |
236 miles (380 km) N/A N/A |
| EPA Energy consumption (including charging losses): | |
|
Combined City Highway |
93 MPGe: 362 Wh/mi (225 Wh/km) 97 MPGe: 347 Wh/mi (216 Wh/km) 87 MPGe: 387 Wh/mi (241 Wh/km) |
2023 Audi Q4 Sportback 50 e-tron quattro 20-inch
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2023 Audi Q4 Sportback 50 e-tron quattro 20-inch :: EPA Range rating by InsideEVs [Electric Vehicle 2-cycle label] | |
|
Combined City Highway |
242 miles (389 km) N/A N/A |
| EPA Energy consumption (including charging losses): | |
|
Combined City Highway |
95 MPGe: 355 Wh/mi (220 Wh/km) 100 MPGe: 337 Wh/mi (209 Wh/km) 89 MPGe: 379 Wh/mi (235 Wh/km) |
Prices
The biggest change for the 2023 model year is price, which massively increased (by $5,300-$5,900) compared to the initial values from late 2021. They are even higher than the ones announced in October 2022.
The Audi Q4 40 e-tron starts at $49,800, plus the destination charge of $1,195 ($100 higher). This means that the entry-level version of the car starts at $50,995. There is no $7,500 federal tax credit because the Audi Q4 e-tron is imported from Europe.
The all-wheel drive Audi Q4 e-tron has an MSRP of $55,200, while the Audi Q4 Sportback e-tron starts at $58,200.
| Model | Base Price | Dest. Charge | Tax Credit | Effective Price |
| 2023 Audi Q4 40 e-tron 19-inch | $49,800 | +$1,195 | $50,995 | |
| 2023 Audi Q4 50 e-tron quattro 19-inch | $55,200 | +$1,195 | $56,395 | |
| 2023 Audi Q4 Sportback 50 e-tron quattro 20-inch | $58,200 | +$1,195 | $59,395 |
Overall, the effective prices are roughly $13,000 higher (deducting federal tax credit) or around a third more than in late 2021.
That's a big change and quite a high price tag for a car that is essentially a nicer/premium version of the Volkswagen ID.4 (both are based on the MEB platform and produced in the same plant in Zwickau, Germany).
Nonetheless, Audi says that its "electric portfolio making premium electrification more attainable than ever."
The German brand listed several changes to the 2023 model year Q4 e-tron, which partially justify the price increase:
2023 Model Year Highlights:
- S line exterior arrives standard on the Q4 50 e-tron and Q4 Sportback 50 e-tron. The Q4 40 e-tron receives advanced line exterior as standard.
- Available Matrix-design headlights with digital daytime running lights include customizable light signatures, as well as animation for both the headlights and taillights.
- A larger 11.6-inch center MMI touch display is now standard, delivering a user experience which is both visually and operationally more convenient.
- Available augmented reality head-up display, offers easy to understand projections of the navigation system’s directional cues, start points and destination end points. These navigational cues appear to be floating roughly 33 feet from the driver, displayed in the real world ahead making navigating unfamiliar roads even easier.
Time will tell how well the electric Q4 will sell, but there might be a necessity to at least bring the production to the US (alongside some versions of the Volkswagen ID.4 in Chattanooga, Tennessee), to get the incentives.
Basic specs
| Model | Drive | Battery (kWh) | EPA Range | 0-60 mph (sec) | Top Speed |
| 2023 Audi Q4 40 e-tron 19-inch | RWD | 82 | 265 mi (426 km) | 7.9 | 99 mph (159 km/h) |
| 2023 Audi Q4 50 e-tron quattro 19-inch | AWD | 82 | 236 mi (380 km) | 5.8 | 112 mph (180 km/h) |
| 2023 Audi Q4 Sportback 50 e-tron quattro 20-inch | AWD | 82 | 242 mi (389 km) | 5.8 | 112 mph (180 km/h) |
Gallery: 2023 Audi Q4 e-tron
