Cheaper Audi e-tron 50 quattro unveiled

A more affordable entry-level version of the Audi e-tron will go on sale early next year with a price tag more closely matched to the Jaguar I-PACE.

The new Audi e-tron 50 quattro is due to arrive in Europe in the first few months of 2020, but it's not yet been confirmed for Australia. If it's sold here it could be priced from around $119,000 – less than the I-PACE ($124,000) and up to $20,000 cheaper than the e-tron 55 quattro in Europe.

Powered by a 71kWh lithium-ion battery -- instead of the e-tron 55's larger 95kWh pack -- Audi claims the cheaper e-tron 50 is capable of covering 300km on the WLTP cycle – 100km less than its more expensive sibling.

The advantage of having a smaller battery is the e-tron 50 is around 120kg lighter than the e-tron 55, which should provide for a slight edge in the handling department, although it still weighs a portly 2445kg.

Sadly, as well as less range, the e-tron 50 gets less power, with the cheaper battery-powered SUV driven by twin electric motors that, combined, muster 230kW and 540Nm of torque – a big drop from the e-tron 55's 300kW/664Nm.

This explains why the cheaper e-tron hits 100km/h in seven seconds and can only top out at 190km/h – a second slower to the performance benchmark with a 10km/h slower limited top speed.

That's not much of an issue in Australia, but in Europe the cheapest e-tron is also not compatible with the 150kW ultra-fast chargers available and can only be topped up with the 120kW fast-chargers.

Despite that, Audi still claims the e-tron 50 could be charged to 80 per cent in just ahalf an hour at a rapid-charging station.

Pricing is set to be confirmed closer to its launch, possibly after the Audi e-tron 50 makes its debut next month at the Frankfurt motor show, but a price drop of at least $20,000 is expected.

Following Audi's move to introduce a cheaper e-tron, it's thought Mercedes-Benz is working on a more affordable EQC SUV that will also have a range of around 320km.