New Audi Electric SUV Quietly Debuts At Auto Shanghai 2021

Audi hosted no fewer than four world premieres this week in China at Auto Shanghai where the A7L stretched sedan and A6 E-Tron Sportback are catching most of the attention. The two are sharing the spotlight with the facelifted long-wheelbase Q5 and a rather mysterious study of a fully electric SUV covered in the typical wrap with E-Tron branding.

While the A7L will be the first Audi model in China developed with VW's local partner SAIC – the others were developed with FAW – this new electric vehicle is not far behind. Labeled as a study for the time being, it will morph into a production vehicle in the second half of this year. Details are scarce for the time being, but we do know it stretches at 4.87 meters (191.7 inches) long.

That makes it nearly as long as the global Audi E-Tron SUV and local reports say it's based on the Volkswagen Group's MEB platform utilized by the smaller Q4 E-Tron and Q4 Sportback E-Tron. All of the windows are fully blacked out, meaning the company isn't quite ready yet to show off the SUV's interior.

With Audi being coy on details, all we can do is speculate. Considering the vehicle's overall length has been announced, perhaps the production version will be Audi's equivalent of the Volkswagen ID.6 also launched at Auto Shanghai. The three-row electric SUV rides on the same MEB platform and stretches at an identical 4.87 meters long. However, keep in mind nothing is confirmed at this point.

If that's the case, expect the top-end version to come with Quattro all-wheel drive courtesy of dual electric motors providing a combined output of 302 horsepower (225 kilowatts) and 310 Newton-meters (229 pound-feet), at least in the case of the dual-motor ID.6. In the VW, the flagship version sprints to 62 mph (100 km/h) in 6.6 seconds and is electronically governed at 99 mph (160 km/h).

We'll remind you the ID.6 comes with a choice between 58 kWh and 77 kWh batteries, with the latter enabling a maximum range of 365 miles (588 kilometers) in the China NEDC cycle. Time will tell whether the model carrying the Four Rings will have the same numbers. The study's generic "Audi Concept Shanghai" name will certainly change for the road-going model, which will be a China-only affair.