Audi Prices the A3 Sportback E-Tron

2016 Audi A3 Sportback e-tron (Credit: © Audi)

Audi’s e-tron program has been in the making for quite some time, but we have yet to receive an e-tron in the States. That drought is about to come to an end, as we are set to receive the A3 Sportback e-tron later this year. Today, Audi has somewhat curbed our craving for updates on this new e-tron with the release of its pricing details.

When the A3 e-tron finally makes it Stateside, it will arrive with a starting price of $37,900, which is surprisingly affordable. This price is, of course, before any state or federal tax credits. For folks who prefer the better-equipped Premium Plus or Prestige models, these will set you back $42,000 and $46,800, respectively. As for the aforementioned tax credit, Uncle Sam is willing to give you a credit of up to $4,168 for buying this thrifty hatchback.

2016 Audi A3 Sportback e-tron (Credit: © Audi)

The A3 Sportback e-tron comes powered by a 1.4-liter TFSI engine and a liquid-cooled, permanent magnet-driven electric motor. Combined, these two powerplants produce 204 horsepower and 258 pound-feet of torque. This powertrain allows the A3 to hit 60 mph in an respectable 7.6 seconds and top out at 130 mph.

Fueling the electric motor is an 8.8 kWh battery that charges in as few as 2.25 hours on a 240-volt charging station. If you only have access to 120-volt outlets, then it will take about eight hours to charge the battery, which is still not terrible. Audi hasn’t announced the official EV range of the A3 e-tron, but it does estimate it to be 31 miles.

2016 Audi A3 Sportback e-tron (Credit: © Audi)

Not only is the A3 Sportback e-tron a thrifty piece of machinery, but it also is quite useful with its 13.6 cubic feet of cargo capacity. Audi doesn’t mention what the maximum cargo capacity is, but I would guess it is somewhere in the high 20-cubic-feet range.

Standard features on the A3 Sportback e-tron are quite plentiful. It comes with HID headlights, LED taillights, LED interior lighting, automatic dual-climate control, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, Audi Advanced Key, a rearview camera, Audi pre-sense basic, Audi drive select, a 7-inch MMI screen, and more.

The A3 Sportback e-tron will hit showrooms in October of 2015.