More affordable Audi e-tron 50 quattro goes on sale

e-tron 50 quattro has 190-mile rangeCharges to 80% in just 30 minutesThree standard trim levels available, plus a Launch Edition

The Audi e-tron 50 quattro is now on sale with a starting price of £59,900. The new version of Audi’s first electric SUV sits below the existing 55 model and costs around £12,000 less to buy.

Available in Technik, Sport, and S Line trim levels, as well as a lavishly equipped Launch Edition specification, the e-tron 50 offers 190 miles of range on a charge compared to the 248-mile range of the 55. The smaller range results in quicker charging times, with the 50 taking 30 minutes to charge to 80% when connected to a 120kW fast-charger versus just over an hour for the 55.

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While the range-topping e-tron 55 features a 95kWh battery, the 50 quattro has a smaller, 71kWh version, slightly reducing performance and range. Zero to 62mph takes seven seconds flat in the 309bhp 50 model and its top speed is 118mph, compared to 5.7 seconds and 124mph respectively for the 355bhp e-tron 55 already on sale.

Like the more powerful e-tron, the 50 quattro will have two electric motors with priority given to the rear axle. The car is rear-wheel drive most of the time to increase efficiency but some of the power can be sent to the front wheels when required.

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Regenerative braking also features on the new model, recovering the energy normally lost in braking and using it to recharge the battery. There’s also an ‘efficiency assistant’ to help you eke out as much range as possible, while other clever tech includes radar sensors, Car-to-X information sharing, adaptive cruise control and Audi’s Virtual Cockpit digital instrument cluster. All this adds up to the car being able to scan the road ahead to predictively brake and accelerate.

Audi is including the 50 quattro in its e-tron charging service. New customers will have full access to the 150kW IONITY charging network across the UK and continental Europe for a year without paying the £16.95 monthly tariff. Audi is also supplying all e-tron customers with the installation of a free 7kW home wallbox charger.

The Audi e-tron 50 quattro is priced from £59,900 for the entry-level Technik, £62,600 for the Sport and from £66,700 for the S line. The e-tron 50 Launch Edition starts at £72,700. Two years’ free servicing is available to 50 quattro customers who buy their cars on PCP finance deals.

Later this year, Audi will introduce an optional connect charging system, which will allow you to schedule off-peak charging and preset the climate control before you get in e-tron models.

Read our Audi e-tron review for more information, or see how it compares to the Tesla Model X and Jaguar I-Pace.