Audi will be building an electric full-size luxury four-door coupe to compete with the Tesla Model S. Reports from Autocar have Audi CEO Rupert Stadler confirming the new model, and have it pegged to be on sale by 2020.
The name isn't confirmed, but it's expected to be dubbed the A9 e-tron. The EV is described as being "as high up as possible, in the A8 segment”, meaning that it will likely have as much technology as Audi can fit and should be their first car with level four autonomous driving (complete autonomy with no driver needed).
The new car will be based on the platform of the e-tron quattro concept Audi debuted at the Frankfurt auto show last year. It will be largely aluminium and should have a range in excess of 500 km. Audi will be using asynchronous electric motors, which make their power at higher rpm, but are claimed to be more efficient and offer a better driving experience.
To go alongside the A9, Stadler stated that “by 2020 we will have three EVs in the line-up”. This would start with the e-tron quattro concept and extend to the A9. The third hasn't yet been announced.
