New badge coming up
Mercedes-Benz seems to be giving up its EQ label in the long term, but Audi seems to be far from closing the umbrella under which it hangs its electric models.
Various car manufacturers have devised a separate line for their fully electric models. BMW attaches them to the i-label, Hyundai and Kia use the Ioniq and EV designations for their fully electric-developed models and Mercedes-Benz classifies them under the EQ label. The German Handelsblatt recently wrote that Mercedes-Benz will hang up the EQ label from next year. Not a strange intention for the European market, since from 2035 only zero-emission cars may be sold in the EU. However, Audi doesn’t seem to be planning to consign its EV designation to the afterlife.
Audi initially used its ‘e-tron’ designation for plug-in hybrids, but with the arrival of the SUV called E-Tron in 2018 – now called Q8 e-tron – ‘e-tron’ points to an all-electric powertrain . In conversation with Top Gear, Audi design boss Marc Lichte says that ‘e-tron’ will remain normal for the time being. According to Lichte, ‘e-tron’ is important in Audi’s naming for the time being. Marc Lichte even hints at the arrival of another label to distinguish between different types of models. Exactly what that will be, should become clear at the end of this year.
The electric e-tron family in Europe currently consists of the Q4 e-tron. Q4 e-tron Sportback, Q8 e-tron, Q8 e-tron Sportback and RS E-Tron GT. The Q6 e-tron and A6 e-tron (Avant) will be added in the coming years. In China, Audi also sells the Q2L E-tron and a Q5 e-tron.
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– Thanks for information from Autoweek.nl