Audi to start electric SUV production in 2018 in clean-car push

Audi’s electric SUV due on the market in 2018 will be built at a plant in Brussels, Belgium, the automaker confirmed. The plant will also produce its own batteries. The company, however, did not reveal when production of the Q3 model would begin at the factory.

Audi has confirmed it will produce its upcoming e-tron all-electric SUV, known as the Q6, at its Brussels facility in Belgium from 2018.

“The Q8 is the upper luxury SUV; the battery-electric SUV foreshadowed by the e-Tron Quattro Concept has not been named yet”, Audi’s Mark Dahncke told Green Car Reports.

In related news, Audi is shifting production locations for a number of its vehicles. This means the vehicle will be a mid-sizer with sleek, coupe-like styling.

When talking about the specs, the auto was powered by three electric motors that provided a total output of 320 kW (429 hp), or 370 kW (496 hp) when boost is activated.

In order to make it all happen, Audi will have to move the A1 to Martorell, Spain, while Q3 production will shift from that site to the Györ plant in Hungary.

The models that would be shuffled around include the Audi Q7 and A1, now being built in the Belgian plant, both of which would be shifted to Spain. Audi says this movement of models will preserve workforce integrity while making way for the new SUV EV, which itself will fit between the large Audi Q7 and the midsize Audi Q5…so making us guess that model designation could be Audi Q6 e-tron. It will allow us to utilize further synergies within the Volkswagen Group and to bundle key competencies, ” stated Rupert Stadler, Chairman of The Board of Management of Audi AG.

Audi will be sourcing the batteries from LG Chem and Samsung SDI of Korea which will provide the vehicle with a range of upto 310 miles (500 Kms) on a single charge.