Audi to unveil 310-mile electric SUV to rival Tesla Model X

Audi is to unveil an electric car to rival Tesla’s forthcoming Model X that the German marque says is capable of travelling at least 310 miles on battery power alone.

The Volkswagen-owned carmaker will display the concept, a sport utility vehicle provisionally called the e-tron quattro, at next month’s Frankfurt motor show and plans to put it into production in 2018 as its first mainstream electric car.

The off-roader will be smaller than Audi’s existing full-size SUV, the Q7, and would compete with the much-delayed Model X, planned for release this year by Californian electric carmaker Tesla.

Tesla has repeatedly shrugged off competition from other carmakers, with founder Elon Musk saying he welcomes anything that jump-starts the sputtering market for electric cars.

Audi is not the only upmarket carmaker preparing plug-in vehicles. Aston Martin plans to produce an all-electric version of its Rapide sports car in the next few years, ahead of the launch of its DBX electric crossover vehicle. (by Andy Sharman, Motor Industry Correspondent, Financial Times)