If you’re not ready to take the plunge on a EV, but fancy completing your commute on electric power, the new Audi Q5 plug-in hybrid will be of interest.
The Audi Q5 55 TFSI e – to give the SUV it’s long and convoluted name – pairs a 2.0-litre petrol engine with an electric motor to deliver 26 miles of range.
Useful for zero-emissions zones, then, but the Q5 plug-in hybrid can also hit 84mph in electric mode, plus a top speed of 148mph with help from the 252hp and 273lb ft petrol engine.
113mpg and 49g/km CO2
Crucially, the WLTP-certified economy is 113mpg, corresponding to CO2 emissions of 49g/km: the figures of most interest to plug-in hybrid (PHEV) buyers.
It’s the first time that Audi’s efficiency-optimised Quattro all-wheel-drive tech has been used in combination with an electric motor, with the system functioning in front-wheel drive when possible to save fuel.
A predictive efficiency assistant (PEA) uses data from the navigation database and the distance to the vehicle ahead to select between freewheeling with the engine switched off and coasting recuperation.
There are three driving modes – Hybrid, EV and Battery Hold – with EV mode the default setting each time the vehicle is started.
Deliveries by the end of 2019
The Q5 plug-in hybrid is supplied with a compact charging system comprising cables for household and industrial outlets, plus a control unit. There’s also a Mode 3 cable with a Type 2 plug for use at public charging stations.
Standard kit includes LED headlights with high-beam assist, 20-inch alloy wheels, electric adjustable sports seats with massage function, three-zone climate control and Audi’s Virtual Cockpit dashboard display.
Customers can order an Audi Q5 plug-in hybrid in June, with deliveries expected by the end of the year. Prices will start from around £55,000.
