The Q4 swallowed the 2 huge bags I was carrying rather conveniently, however the high boot flooring, which conceals a roomy compartment below for the charging cable and other bits, calls for a bit of weight lifting.If youve driven a contemporary Audi before, its simple to get familiarised with the Q4 e-trons cabin, which expectedly is developed to a high quality. Car filled up, Apple CarPlay activated, Google Maps pulled up on the main screen and navigation set to my location, Im all set to ease the q4 and go e-tron out of Heathrows Terminal 5 automobile park.2022 Q4 e-tron: range, techincal detailsLike most EVs, the Q4 is really simple to drive, however like with the full-size e-tron, what Audi has handled to accomplish is an extremely regular driving experience that filters out the artificiality of an EV. There was another option.A fully charged battery offers 350km of range.Living on the ground flooring with the Q4 parked in an enclosed area just outside the window, it was simple to run an extension cable television and drip charge the Q4 with a household plug overnight, which is exactly what I did. The Q4s steel springs and adaptive dampers do the task completely and the overall body control is brilliant, no doubt assisted by the low centre of gravity of the battery pack in the floor.A pair of paddles behind the steering wheel control the various levelsof regenerative braking and a pull of the left paddle (which increases the regen) well mimics engine braking in a normal vehicle, which once again is part of the natural character of the Q4. Whats likewise not EV-like and extremely natural are the brakes, which shift the retardation from regen to the brake pads definitely perfectly.2022 Audi Q4 e-tron: charging detailsSpacious under flooring compartment helpful for keeping charging cable.The sedate and relaxed manners of the Q4 e-tron wont appeal to driving lovers and this EV feels most at home when driven in Comfort mode and a notch or 2 down.

Less is more with Audis tiniest EV, the Q4 e-tron. We take it out for a short road journey outside London.Theres an end date for the internal combustion engine in the UK and its 2030. After that date, all brand-new automobiles will need to be electrical. Thats simply 8 years away, which in automobile terms is next week, offered the long preparation and lifecycles with which the car industry operates. With the deadline quick approaching, you would anticipate the UK to have a quite excellent charging network by now in readiness for the run-up to the total shift to electrical cars. No, the charging network isnt up to speed and, as I found, discovering a complimentary and working plug when you most want one, can be quite an adventure.That experience was 4 days with the Q4 e-tron, Audis smallest EV which, you guessed it, slots in between the Q3 and Q5. Except that, its just offered in electric form. The Q4 e-tron is available in 3 variations, badged 35, 40 and 50. The automobile Im driving is the range-topping 50 that gets 4×4 (the 35 and 40 are rear-wheel drive) powered by 2 electric motors producing a combined output of 299hp and 460Nm of torque. The main range is 511km, which, in an EV, is the most essential figure, particularly if you prepare to do some long-distance driving, which I did.2022 Audi Q4 e-tron: outside, interior designThe Q4 is quite a looker, with its heavily sculpted bumpers, creased flanks and large wheel arches. Based upon the exact same MEB platform as the Volkswagen ID.4 and Skoda Enyaq, the Q4 is similar in size and uses lots of typical elements. And sharing parts makes it simpler for Audi to bring the Q4 e-tron to India. The plan is to release the Q4 e-tron sometime in 2024, in sync with the India launch of the VW ID.4 and Enyaq in the exact same year.Q4 most likely to come to India in 2024 and might be in your area assembled.The first test is of the boot, which is quite generous, provided the size of the automobile. For referral, the Q4 has a good offer more area than the Volvo XC40 Recharge, its instant competitor. The Q4 swallowed the two big bags I was bring quite comfortably, however the high boot floor, which hides a spacious compartment underneath for the charging cable and other bits, requires a little bit of weight lifting.If youve driven a contemporary Audi prior to, its simple to get acquainted with the Q4 e-trons cabin, which expectedly is constructed to a high quality. The all-black interior with lots of piano black surfaces and angular style looks abundant and modern-day, but the 2 screens– the central 10.1-inch and the 10.25-inch virtual digital instrument panel– arent as up-to-date as what you get in competing German brands. Audis signature virtual cockpit behind the steering was quite the thing when we initially experienced it in the Q7 in 2015, but today its restricted in functions and doesnt have the sharpness or abundant colours of Mercs MBUX system.Space is tight at the back and best for two average sized adults.It is the same for the main screen, which, though it provides a nice haptic touch, is not as responsive as we would have liked. The steering wheel buttons are a touch delicate too, but work far much better than the touch slider manages you need to keep swiping in the most recent Mercs. Unlike the flagship e-tron SUV, theres no third screen dedicated for the air-con controls whichs not a bad thing because what you get are physical buttons rather, which have a pleasing tactile feel and you dont have to dive into menus to run them.Theres no huge gear lever however simply a small selector button that sits on a drifting panel, releasing up space beneath for a huge cubby hole. To keep your loose bits, theres excellent space around the cabin like the generous door pockets, a deep central storage box and a big glove box. Automobile packed up, Apple CarPlay activated, Google Maps brought up on the main screen and navigation set to my location, Im all set to go and reduce the Q4 e-tron out of Heathrows Terminal 5 car park.2022 Q4 e-tron: variety, techincal detailsLike most EVs, the Q4 is very simple to drive, but like with the full-size e-tron, what Audi has actually managed to achieve is an extremely normal driving experience that strains the artificiality of an EV. This is immediately apparent in the method the accelerator pedal has been adjusted, the instantaneous torque from the set of electrical motors is served up in a finely determined manner. The accelerator pedal is no hair trigger and a light prod corresponds to a gentle build-up of speed and yes, a claimed 0-100kph time of 6.2 sec isnt quick by EV standards.So whilst the Q4 will not flatten your cheeks every time you stomp the ideal pedal, it makes up with its utter ease of driving and remarkably linear power delivery, which is exactly what you desire for daily driving. Thats not to say the Q4 is sluggish. On the hectic M4 into London, it has enough oomph to effortlessly surge past slow-moving traffic and you have to be mindful of the speed limit, which is taken very seriously (by the cops!) The good idea about EVs is that you dont need to pay the hefty ₤ 15 (Rs 1,500) blockage charge when driving in main London, which was incentive enough for me to ditch the Tube and take the Q4 rather. What you cant prevent is the traffic and the relentless roadwork that slows you to a crawl. But, this was a good test to see where the Q4 would fit on the scale in between painless and unpleasant in a city thats doing its best to discourage you from driving.I have to say, the Q4 carried out remarkably and took the sting out of the bumper-to-bumper driving. Its compact and great and that makes it simple to dart into a hard-to-find parking area. Its quiet, has fantastic well-rounded exposure and if youre feeling particularly lazy, you can strike the B button on the console to activate one-pedal driving. But, this greatest type of regen feels a bit artificial and quite frankly, if you arent too concerned about range, the Q4 feels the most natural with the regen set to zero.Charging from a house plug point was the most reliable.And now it was time to attend to the vexed issue of charging. I still had a good 70 percent of battery left because I chose up the automobile, so I wasnt desperate to find a plug, however I needed a complete charge for my drive into the nation the next day. In Clapham, where I was remaining, the closest public quick charger was about 2 miles away. Thats not too far away, but the idea of figuring and downloading an app out how to utilize the charger was a bit challenging. There was another option.A totally charged battery provides 350km of range.Living on the ground floor with the Q4 parked in a confined location simply outside the window, it was easy to run an extension cable and drip charge the Q4 with a family plug overnight, which is precisely what I did. To top up the balance 30 percent of the 77kWh battery took a little over 8 hours, so by the time I was all set to leave the following morning, I had a 100 percent charge and an indicated 218 miles or 350km of range.The drive to Fawsley Hall, a wonderful country house hotel in Northamptonshire, was a mix of motorway and back road. The Q4 got into its stride on the M40 and at motorway speeds, wind and road sound are remarkably suppressed to make this potentially the most quiet and refined car in its class. You, naturally, drive with one eye constantly on the range meter, which didnt drop amazingly in spite of holding a steady cruise right at the 70mph speed limitation and the brake regen set to zero.Peeling off onto the single-lane country road to Fawsley Hall, the undulating and sporadically rough surface exposed the outstanding vibrant character of the Q4. The ride is brilliant, with well-judged damping that does not make you miss the alternative of air suspension offered just on bigger Audis. The Q4s steel springs and adaptive dampers get the job done perfectly and the general body control is dazzling, no doubt aided by the low centre of gravity of the battery pack in the floor.A set of paddles behind the steering wheel control the various levelsof regenerative braking and a yank of the left paddle (which increases the regen) perfectly simulates engine braking in a regular car, which once again is part of the natural character of the Q4. Whats likewise not EV-like and really natural are the brakes, which shift the retardation from regen to the brake pads definitely seamlessly.2022 Audi Q4 e-tron: charging detailsSpacious under floor compartment useful for saving charging cable.The sedate and unwinded manners of the Q4 e-tron wont appeal to driving lovers and this EV feels most in the house when driven in Comfort mode and a notch or 2 down. I arrive at Fawsley Hall totally fresh and at peace with the understanding that theres a quick charger at the hotel premises awaiting me. That peace is methodically shattered when first, a Tesla Model 3 has taken the sole charging spot and doesnt budge for a number of hours, and then, when I finally plug the CCS2 socket into the Q4, I keep getting a mistake message!Public DC battery chargers in UK tend to be unreliable.Its not the end of the world since the trip from London to Fawsley Hall took in a little over 50 percent of charge, so there would be enough to get me to some charging point that worked, however its so bothersome when theres a 150kW battery charger at your doorstep and it doesnt work. The insurance in my back pocket or in the boot of the Q4 e-tron was a 30-foot-long extension cable television I purchased from Sainsburys. Home socket charging is painfully slow.Yes, the readout stated it would take an agonisingly long 15 hours for a full charge however once again, this wasnt a problem. I was secured at Fawsley at our leadership summit for the much better part of 2 days and enjoyed to leave the Q4 throughout that time, tethered to a cable.The next day I had a date with the brand-new Porsche 911 GT3 RS at Silverstone and whilst I was enjoying what the finest internal combustion had to use, the Q4 was gladly sipping volts at the rate of 11kW an hour. The Porsche Centre nearby to the track had a row of a/c battery chargers for guests to utilize. Perfect!AC fast chargers at Porsche centre showed extremely convenient.After my last drive back to Heathrow to take the flight to Mumbai that night, I bid farewell to the Q4 in which I had actually clocked 250 miles (400km) in 3 days. The only tension I had was in finding out my charging stops, and as it turned out, I never ever wound up utilizing a public quick battery charger and wherever I charged was free! Overall running costs were absolutely no, which makes this without a doubt my least expensive trip ever!Also see: Audi Q8 e-tron evaluation: Going the distance