The plan to rapidly electrify a post-diesel Volkswagen Group relies on a similar strategy to the plan that made it the world’s second-largest automaker: design a flexible, extensible vehicle architecture, then use that across multiple brands to build a dizzying array of cars, crossovers, SUVs, and so on. The first of these architectures is called MEB (Modularer E-Antriebs-Baukasten, or Modular Electrification Toolkit), which is for small and medium-sized vehicles and is on track to debut with the VW ID.3 hatch in Europe in September. Here in the US, we’ll get our first MEB crossover, the VW ID.4, early in 2021. But it won’t be the only MEB-based crossover for the US in 2021. Audi has plans for the platform, too, and they include this newly revealed Q4 e-tron Sportback, which goes into series production next summer.

In 2019, we saw an MEB-based Audi called the Q4 e-tron, which goes on sale in the US in late 2021. It’s an upscale battery-electric crossover with the footprint of a Q3 but the interior space of a Q5, a TARDIS-like effect that purpose-designed battery EVs make possible by dint of their powertrain layout.

The Q4 e-tron Sportback—which we’ll get in 2022—will be mechanically identical to that BEV. The front axle is driven by a 75kW (100hp), 150Nm (111lb-ft) motor-generator unit and the rear by a 150kW (201hp), 310Nm (229lb-ft) MGU, with a total output of 225kW (301hp), all fed by an 82kWh lithium-ion pack.

What the Sportback brings to the party is a much more rakish roofline, which (at least in my opinion) greatly helps the looks of this BEV. But then I’m on record as being a sucker for a good fastback design. It’s an aerodynamic shape, but not much more so than the more upright back on the more ungainly Q4 e-tron—the Sportback’s drag coefficient of 0.26 betters that model by just 0.01. According to Marc Lichte, Audi’s design chief, it’s the fastest fastback roofline ever for an Audi. Lichte says he’s particularly proud of the styling around the rear wheel haunches, which have quite the crease running through, one that continues to the rear door.

The interior looks pretty much identical between Q4 e-tron and Q4 e-tron Sportback. Hopefully not much changes between the images we’ve seen and the production versions, because it looks great and may well be the justification someone needs for picking the Audi over an ID.4. During our recent tech briefing, Audi also revealed that the Sportback will come with an augmented reality heads-up display. Sadly, we don’t have more to tell you about how that works yet—Audi told us it will instead be a surprise when we test drive the car next year.

Within VW Group, VW (the brand) has responsibility for developing MEB, but Audi tells Ars that “of course there will be differences in many aspects of the technical system. Our customers want to see and feel that they are driving an Audi!”

We also asked about plans to iteratively improve the Q4 through software. Tesla has shown the strength in that approach, and Jaguar has found real-world range increases via software updates to its I-Pace thanks to a one-make racing series. Audi told us that “if there are improvements possible by further developing and updating the software, we will check whatever can be transferred to cars being already in the hands of our customers.”

If you must have an electric Sportback Audi SUV and can’t wait until 2022, then the more expensive e-tron Sportback (no Q4, notice) goes on sale this summer. Although pricing of the Q4 e-tron Sportback won’t be known for quite some time, you can count on it costing a fair bit less than that one.

https://arstechnica.com/?p=1689807