Forget about waiting for Tesla models to make their way to Mzansi, because all the performance, luxury and comfort you need has just arrived in the Audi E-tron range.

Audi South Africa launched six EV models earlier this week including variants of the E-tron 55 and E-tron GT. The glitzy event was hosted in the Zeitz Mocaa museum in the V&A Waterfront precinct of Cape Town’s foreshore. Now, these newcomers will contest for a slice of the fast-growing worldwide EV market pie.

Follow Double Apex on Instagram and Facebook where we share more car content.

Audi’s always been an innovator and ahead of the rest of the industry in pushing technological advancements. It’s the sort of thinking that led to its engineers perfecting Quattro’s all-wheel drive to dominate the World Rally Championship in the early 1980s. It’s also why the company pursued the use of aluminium in vehicle construction to reduce mass. It even extends to Audi being the first manufacturer to use diesel engines to race and win at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Now, the Four-Ring firm is pioneering the way forward for EVs within the Volkswagen Group. Despite the challenges facing the South African economy, and the sorry condition of state-owned enterprises like Eskom (who are responsible for proving the power needed for these EVs in the first place), it’s quite refreshing to hear just how optimistic Audi is about the future if not just its products, but South Africa as well.

Audi says the brand and E-trons are here to stay

“From 2022 onwards, Audi South Africa is committed to growing the E-tron model range locally and will introduce at least one new electric model each year, to grow consumer choice and to demonstrate our commitment in securing a leading electric vehicle position within the premium automotive market from the start here in South Africa,” says Sascha Sauer, head of Audi South Africa.

“But of course, it doesn’t stop at just a product level. Audi has also partnered with GridCars and invested in building the largest and fastest electric vehicle public charging network in the country,” Sauer added.

Click here to check out the full range of battery-powered Mercedes-EQ models that will soon go on sale in SA.

What are they like?

I briefly got to jump behind the wheel of the range-topping E-tron, the RS E-tron GT, and was left… well, electrified. Over the last few days, I’ve heard my colleagues in the motoring industry describe the GT as one of the most beautiful four doors available today. While I might not agree wholeheartedly, it must be said that in the metal it’s very difficult to take your eyes off the E-tron. Especially when the object of your gaze is the RS model with massive alloys that fill its large wheel arches.

Where the rest of the industry will agree with me, is that Audi has once again hit the ball out of the park with the interior design. There are touchscreen interfaces that take pride of place in the centre of the facia. The controls follow a logical and comfortable fashion.

Even on the little loop around the Waterfront, we got to mash the throttle briefly. In a way, it worked out perfectly for Audi to introduce these models on the traffic light grid of the Waterfront. It was the ideal place to showcase the point-and-squirt ability of the E-tron range, and that of the RS E-tron GT especially.

Battery-powered

I must have been the 8th in the queue to drive this model. That after like-minded lead-footed journalists drove it before me. Even after what I can only assume is hard-driving, it still had 283 km of range left in the battery pack.

I’ve been looking forward to performance EVs ever since I first saw a Tesla Model S P100 D drag racing the crap out of internal combustion supercars a few years ago on YouTube. Well, the fast EVs are here thanks to Audi, and they don’t just do that well because they’re comfortable and luxurious as well. Keep an eye on our site for a full drive review soon.

Audi E-tron range pricing

The E-tron 55:

First edition              R1 745 000

Advanced                   R1 990 000

S line                          R2 045 000

Sportback S line       R2 115 000

Additional models:

E-tron S Sportback                    R2 425 000

E-tron GT                                   R2 715 000

RS E-tron GT                             R3 300 000

All prices include five year/100 000 km maintenance plans and eight-year/160 000 km battery warranties.