Audi Q7 e-tron here – some time – next year

Audi has confirmed the Q7 TDI e-tron will go on sale in Australia next year, but it won’t be drawn on exactly when and admits the R8 e-tron supercar may never become available here.

The German car-maker's first diesel-electric production vehicle is based on the new Q7 TDI on sale here next month and will be Audi Australia's second plug-in model after this month's A3 Sportback e-tron.

However, a precise local release date for the diesel plug-in hybrid version of Audi's second-generation large SUV is yet to be confirmed and it won't arrive within six months of the standard Q7 TDI.

“There’s no confirmed date, but it won’t be in the first quarter of 2016,” was Audi Australia Managing Director Andrew Doyle’s response when questioned by motoring.com.au.

“We are very excited by its arrival,” he continued. “The Q7 is a great car… with that sort of efficiency in that car, we’re thrilled.”

Putting a number to the efficiency buzzword, the Q7 e-tron promises fuel consumption of just 1.7L/100km from its combination of electric power and a 3.0-litre turbo-diesel V6.

As revealed at the Geneva motor show in March, the diesel generates 190kW/600Nm while the electric motor generates 94kW/350Nm. Unlike the A3 Sportback e-tron, the Q7 retains quattro all-wheel drive. It promises a 56km electric-only range -- up from the 50km in the A3.

Further afield, Audi will use next month's Frankfurt show to unveil the e-tron quattro SUV concept, which is widely expected to go by the Q6 e-tron name when it reached production.

However, Doyle was unable to commit to a name. “We’ll find out together in Frankfurt,” he laughed. “We’re looking forward to seeing it.”

This SUV – which is said to be smaller than the Q7, with which it shared its MLB Evo platform, but larger than a Q5, hence the Q6 tag – will enter production in 2018.

Post-Q7, the e-tron roll-out diverges somewhat, with the late-2015 introduction of the new Audi R8 supercar in e-tron form.

This full battery-electric supercar promises 340kW and an astounding 920Nm for a 0-100km/h time of 3.9 seconds, as well as a 450km range on a single charge.

Said to be hand-built and available to order by the end of the year, there is sadly “no indication that the R8 version will be made in right-hand drive form” said Doyle.