Why is my Audi Q4 e-tron showing a lower range than expected?
The most common questions are related to why Audi Q4 e-tron owners experience that the car shows a lower expected range than specified.
What is the specified range/consumption?
Audi does not give only one number on the range. The range varies a lot between the variants and depending on trim level.
It also depends on how the range is measured/calculated. In Europe, they use WLTP to calculate range and in the US they use EPA to calculate range. These numbers are typically different because the drive cycle in these two tests is not the same.
WLTP Range
The table below shows the range measured according to the WLTP standard. Notice how big the difference is between a minimum equipped Audi Q4 e-tron and a maximum equipped Audi Q4 e-tron.
| Variant | WLTP Range | Consumption km | Consumption miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Audi Q4 e-tron 35 min trim | 341km/212 miles | 15.1/100km | 4.12miles/kWh |
| Audi Q4 e-tron 40 min trim | 521km/324 miles | 14.7/100km | 4.23miles/kWh |
| Audi Q4 e-tron 50 min trim | 488km/303 miles | 15.70/100km | 3.96miles/kWh |
| Audi Q4 e-tron 35 max trim | 306km/175 miles | 16.83/100km | 3.69miles/kWh |
| Audi Q4 e-tron 40 max trim | 447km/278 miles | 17.14/100km | 3.63miles/kWh |
| Audi Q4 e-tron 50 max trim | 412m/256 miles | 18.59/100km | 3.34 miles/kWh |
EPA Range
| Variant | EPA Range | Consumption km | Consumption miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| Audi e-tron 50 | 388km/241 miles | 19.74/100km | 3.15miles/kWh |
In advertising the minimum trim level is often used when they report the range either in WLTP or EPA numbers.
Many consumers are not aware that adding more equipment like larger wheels reduces the rated range.
Real-world range examples
Owners typically react when their Audi Q4 e-tron estimated range is much lower than advertised by Audi. Below you see some examples of ranges posted by users in different social media groups.
Example on reported range
Why does the car estimate this range?
The range indicator base its range on the following data
- Average consumption on the last 100km/62 miles driven
- The state of charge (of much is the battery charged)
- The planned route in the navigation system
So assume you have an Audi Q4 e-tron 50 with 76.6kWh battery and you have charged it to 100% and your last trip was this
Triphistory
If we calculate the range based on the consumption on 27.6 kWh/100km we get
76.6/27.6 = 278km.
Same calculation based in miles 2.25mi/kWh
76.6*2.25 = 172 miles.
But this is the best guess based on previous trips. If you change behavior on the next trip, the range calculated would be wrong.
If you have done many short trips in cold weather, you would have spent lots of energy to heat up the car. But this average consumption is not relevant if you the next day are taking a long drive. The car would then underestimate the range.
If a route is defined in the car navigation system the car would adjust range based on elevation and road ahead.
The below table show the calculated range based on different average consumption for and Audi Q4 40/45/50 with 76.6kWh available battery.
| consumption kWh/100 | consumption miles/kWh | Calculated range km | Calculated range miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 15 | 4,1 | 511 | 317 |
| 15,5 | 4,0 | 494 | 307 |
| 16 | 3,9 | 479 | 298 |
| 16,5 | 3,8 | 464 | 289 |
| 17 | 3,7 | 451 | 280 |
| 17,5 | 3,6 | 438 | 272 |
| 18 | 3,5 | 426 | 264 |
| 18,5 | 3,4 | 414 | 257 |
| 19 | 3,3 | 403 | 251 |
| 19,5 | 3,2 | 393 | 244 |
| 20 | 3,1 | 383 | 238 |
| 20,5 | 3,0 | 374 | 232 |
| 21 | 3,0 | 365 | 227 |
| 21,5 | 2,9 | 356 | 221 |
| 22 | 2,8 | 348 | 216 |
| 22,5 | 2,8 | 340 | 212 |
| 23 | 2,7 | 333 | 207 |
| 23,5 | 2,6 | 326 | 203 |
| 24 | 2,6 | 319 | 198 |
| 24,5 | 2,5 | 313 | 194 |
| 25 | 2,5 | 306 | 190 |
| 25,5 | 2,4 | 300 | 187 |
| 26 | 2,4 | 295 | 183 |
| 26,5 | 2,3 | 289 | 180 |
| 27 | 2,3 | 284 | 176 |
| 27,5 | 2,3 | 279 | 173 |
| 28 | 2,2 | 274 | 170 |
| 28,5 | 2,2 | 269 | 167 |
| 29 | 2,1 | 264 | 164 |
| 29,5 | 2,1 | 260 | 161 |
| 30 | 2,1 | 255 | 159 |
The numbers do not match up, can it be something wrong?
If your average consumption on our last trip does not match up with the estimated range it might be a problem with your Audi Q4 e-tron.
The first you should try is to calculate the battery capacity so you are sure there is a problem. This would also make it easier for you to document this for your dealer.
Read this guide to calculate and verify your Audi Q4 e-tron battery status
If your conclusion is that the battery capacity is much lower of the specified capacity it might be problem with battery or BMS
Learn more about the range
Read our complete range guide Understanding range. See full specification on all variants of Audi Q4 e-tron.