2022 Audi E-Tron S Sportback Review: E-Strong
Derryn Wong
30/03/2022
Back to Page 2: Audi’s first electric S car – how does it drive?
Charging remains the same as the normal E-Tron, which is decent by modern standards, and the battery capacity is identical. The S is rated for marginally higher consumption according to its LTA-approved figures – 26kWh/100km compared to the normal E-Tron 55 at 23.2kWh.100km but over the course of our 200km with the car, we cleaved close to the claimed figures – 26.2kWh/100km, which would deliver around 330km on one charge.
It’s certainly not as efficient as the new EV range champ, the BMW i4, but it’s a high-performance EV so we didn’t expect it to. But it’s not bad, considering the extra weight and fast driving for very scientific test purposes.
Paying the cost to be e-boss
With the recent ARF bump, the E-Tron S isn’t cheap ringing in at almost S$482k with COE and VES included – compare that to the S$350k-ish for the regular E-Tron Sportback 50. But if you do look at the typical premium for an S car (Audi A3 S$190k vs S3 S$290k, Audi Q5 S$292k, SQ5 S$387k) it’s really not that far off.
There is also another price to pay for e-performance: Road tax. Since the LTA simply lumps all the motor outputs together instead of the actual output itself you pay more for road tax – S$6,146 per annum, instead of the ‘actual’ road tax for a 370kW EV, at S$5,051. In contrast, a 4.0-litre V8 biturbo with 612hp only pays S$3,750 a year – a bit of an anachronistic bargain, and telling of a bit of misguided calculation on the LTA’s part. If you really wanted to show power output, you could always put a car on a dyno – just saying.
That’s hardly the E-Tron S’s fault though, and despite the big cost, it’s actually not an unsensible one in a way. Looking at it another way – the Tesla Model X is still nowhere to be seen officially, and the BMW iX3, Jaguar I-Pace, and Mercedes-EQ EQC don’t have S-level high-performance just yet.
So as far as electric, high-performance SUVs go, the E-Tron S is for now, the single, strongest example of the breed.
Audi E-Tron S Sportback
| Drivetrain type | Full electric |
| Electric Motor Layout | Triple Front – Rear/Rear |
| Motor power / torque | 496hp / 973Nm |
| Battery type /net capacity | Lithium ion, 86kWh |
| Max Normal Charge Type / Time | 11kW AC wallbox / 9 hours |
| Max Fast Charge Type / Time | 150kW DC / 30 mins 10 to 80 percent |
| Electric Range* | 330km average |
| 0-100km/h | 4.5 seconds |
| Top Speed | 210km/h |
| Efficiency* | 26 kWh/100km |
| VES Band | A2/ -S$15,000 |
| Agent | Premium Automobiles |
| Price | S$482,290 with COE and VES |
| Availability | Now |
| Verdict | Solitary for now: Big, strong, and electric – but it ain’t cheap and you should keep in mind the road tax |
About the Author
Derryn Wong
CarBuyer's former chief editor was previously the editor for Top Gear Singapore and a presenter for CNA's Cruise Control motoring segment.
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