Audi plans to launch a compact electric SUV by 2020 — and it should terrify Tesla

pulse

May 12, 2017 3:03 PM

An Audi exec said the company plans to launch its third all-electric SUV by 2020 and it will be built on Volkswagen's MEB platform.

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Audi is going all in on electric cars.

In the last two years, Audi has revealed two electric car concepts it plans to bring to market: the e-tron quattro and the e-tron Sportback.

But the German automaker, which is a subsidiary of Volkswagen, also has a third electric vehicle in the works and it could pose a direct threat to Tesla's upcoming Model Y.

"We are looking to also introduce a smaller SUV, which is going to be fitting more into the "A" segment, so in the place where the Q3 competes today," Filip Brabec, vice president of product management for Audi of America, told Business Insider.

"It’s a car that is based on the VW group MEB electric platform. We aren’t really ready to share North American timing because there are a few things that still have to be determined, but it’s going to be following those two cars (the e-tron quattro and the e-tron Sportback) that I just mentioned. So roughly speaking in the 2020 timeframe, but no closer introduction timing at this moment is really known,"

Audi has promised to invest big in electric vehicles in the wake of the VW Dieselgate scandal.

But the company isn't just bringing all-electric cars to market. Audi also plans to deliver new hybrids.

"We are looking at a couple more plugin-in hybrid applications for our market, as well. None that we are prepared to discuss at this point," Brabec said.

"We are not completely done with the hybrid era and we might see a couple more models in the plug-in arena."

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