Audi readying e-tron version of its Q7 SUV

Plug-in hybrids have become a fan favourite among eco-friendly car buyers and to tap into this market, Audi had earlier launched the e-tron version of the A3 Sportback. The R8 e-tron project that followed failed to materialise, but now Audi has announced that the Q7 e-tron is now in the pipeline.

Though Audi has announced that the e-tron variant will be introduced to the current Q7, before the launch of the new model in 2015, they have remained tight-lipped about its technicalities. TheA3 e-tron is powered by a 50PS 1.4-litre engine clubbed to a 103PS electric motor, but it is unlikely that this power plant will make its way to the bulkier Q7.

The MLB platform used by the Q7 also underpins the VW Touareg and the Porsche Cayenne, and will feature on the 2016 Bentley SUV and the 2017 Lamborghini Urus. It is not clear yet as to why Audi has opted to delay the plans for the new Q7 but the eagerness to introduce the e-tron line reveals a shift in trend towards plug in hybrids.

Source: worldcarfans