The Audi e-tron SUV will soon be available to customers across the United States, but don’t expect to see any on display at dealerships.
Automotive News reports that the German brand is opting for a new retail model with the e-tron SUV and won’t permit any of its 303 U.S. dealerships to carry inventory. Instead, the dealerships will be in charge of handling reservations for the vehicle.
“I think it would be a beautiful world if you can go to a dealer — and we’d like to find that beautiful world — with zero floorplan [expense] and proper, full gross on the car,” Audi of American president Scott Keogh said.
“This would be a beautiful state; so let’s go see if we can find this dream state.”
Customers can secure a build slot with a $1000 refundable deposit that can be placed through the Audi USA website or at a dealership. Due to expected demand for the vehicle, some customers may have to wait up to a year to take delivery of their car.
A plethora of other all-electric e-tron models are being developed by Audi. If this sales experiment with the SUV proves successful, similar sales models will be adopted for the automaker’s future EVs.
Powering the e-tron SUV are two asynchronous motors working alongside a 95 kWh battery pack. The e-tron will be capable of hitting 60 mph (96 km/h) in 5.5 seconds and reach a 124 mph (200 km/h) top speed. Audi has yet to publicize the vehicle’s range, but it is expected to sit at roughly 250 miles (402 km).
Pricing starts at $74,800 for the entry-level Premium Plus model and rises to $86,700 for the First Edition.
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