Car News

CAR NEWS AUGUST 2020

By Dhiren Ganesh

IN THIS MONTH’S ARTICLE WE LOOK AT NEW VERSIONS WHICH ARE ALL OF THE ELECTRIC SUV VARIETY, A GROWING TREND AMONGST THE MANUACTURERS.

2021 Audi Q4 Sportback e-tron – this from Audi is the Q4 Sportback e-tron, a new niche with the compact electric coupé SUV. Fron the E-tron Sportback this is downsized, zero-emission motoring and coupé SUVs which are all independently popular right now. On the front it will have a closed front grille with a black surround that flows out into slim lights and air intakes. The 82kWh battery pack, which is beneath the floor, can be charged from 10-80% in around 35 minutes using a 125kW public rapid charger or 0-100% in 12 hours 15 minutes via a 7.4 kW home wall box. Plus, there’s an electric motor on each axle to deliver four-wheel drive, a combined 302bhp and 0-62mph in 6.3sec. The range on a full charge is estimated

at 280 miles. The dashboard is dominated by a 12.3in infotainment touchscreen, which is angled towards the with also a large head-up display for directional arrows. The model is due to be on sale in Summer of 2021 and at an estimated price of £50,000. 2021 Nissan Ariya electric SUV – the Nissan Ariya is a high-tech electric SUV with a 310-mile range and futuristic looks. The Ariya is a fully electric large SUV with slim LED lights and a Nissan badge which lights up to welcome you to the car. Its power comes from two electric motors, the entry-level two-wheel drive 63kWh model can take you 223 miles and higher spec 87kWh version with range increased to 310 miles. At the top of the range sits the Ariya e-4orce 87kWh Performance, which offers up 389bhp and a range of 248 miles. Inside the car there is very few buttons on the centre console or dashboard. Instead, there are touch-sensitive areas for the climate controls along the dashboard, and these vibrate slightly when you press them. Two

12.3in screens provide virtual instruments and infotainment respectively, and the driver can customise the information shown on either. The model is due to be on sale in Spring of

2021 and at an estimated price of £40,000. 2021 BMW iX3 electric SUV – this is the new BMW iX3 SUV represents a U-turn for the brand when it comes to launching electric cars, as it introduced an i3 electric hatchback in 2013 and this is the electric version of the X3. On a single charge the iX3 can travel further than either of its closest rivals with an official range of 285 miles. On the inside, a 12.3in digital instrument cluster and 10.25in infotainment screen are standard, with the latter being accessed via a control dial between the front seats, rather than by touch only. Unique touches include electronic sounds to give the iX3 more character when you’re driving along, particularly when braking or accelerating. Prices for the iX3 are likely to start at around £60,000, representing a substantial premium over the combustionengined X3 and likely to be on sale from the summer of 2021.