2021 Audi e-tron SUV upgraded with faster 22 kW AC charging, new steering wheel & 22-inch alloy designs

Believe it or not, the Audi e-tron – the company’s first series production electric SUV – is now two years old. Since its launch, it has gone on to be the best-selling electric SUV in Europe, and the e-tron range has grown to include the hotter e-tron S, as well as the Sportback variant.

Besides style and performance differences, the arrival of the e-tron S and e-tron Sportback came with a small number of enhancements, such as a more conventional steering wheel design, and larger 22-inch alloys. Some of these have now found their way onto the first e-tron debutant.

Let’s start with the updated steering wheel. Models fitted with the adaptive cruise control system will benefit from a new touch-sensitive rim function. With this, the driver only has to lightly touch the steering wheel once a minute to ensure that the lateral guidance of the system remains active. The e-tron also features lane centring assist.

S models are equipped with 20-inch wheels as standard, with the option of 21- and 22-inch units available on request. The largest set of wheels – a five-spoke design with titanium grey finish – feature a bead seat profile of 10.5 inches, shod with 285/35 profile tyres.

Lastly, e-tron 55 and e-tron Sportback 55 customers can order a second onboard charger that doubles the power from 11 kW to 22 kW. This is effective immediately, while the e-tron 50 and e-tron S models will get the faster AC charging function in mid-2021. The standard mode 3 cable has already been converted to support 22 kW AC charging. Fully charging the 95 kWh battery takes five hours.

Fancy a nice charger to go with the car? The e-tron charging system connect is perfect for home garages. It’s designed to support up to 22 kW charging, and looks suitably fancy with a five-inch touchscreen display. It can connect to Wi-Fi, allowing you to control or monitor charge status via the myAudi app. Audi recommends a three-phase, 400-volt outlet for optimal use of this charging system connect, though.

The e-tron charging system also comes with several intelligent functions. For example, it can monitor the power needs of other electrical appliances in the household, and use what remaining power available to charge the car. This avoids overloading the electrical system at home. Customers can also configure the car to charge when electricity is less expensive (useful for markets with a variable electricity rate).

If the home is equipped with a photovoltaic (solar panel) system, the car can be charged preferentially using the electricity generated by the system. Extra features include PIN protection to prevent unauthorised use, as well as the recording of charging energy.