Another day, another bit of bad news for Elon Musk.
Audi has announced it will like to try a piece of the electric vehicle market. Audi will be backed by eCommerce giant Amazon and Volkswagen Group Unit Electrify America.
Audi is planning on launching its first-ever fully electric SUV (Sports Utility Vehicle) in the US by the middle of 2019. Audi showcased the first of three battery-powered electric vehicles in San Francisco on Monday.
The first being the Audi E-tron, which is set to cost around $75,000 for the base model. Audi plans to debut all three of their electric cars by 2020.
The partnership with Amazon, Electrify America and clean energy company Arcadia Power means that Audi is very serious about competing with Tesla and other potential rivals. Moreover, this collaboration will smoothen the setup process for customers, while also making it easier to charge their cars.
Nowadays, users want more than just a shiny car; they want the complete package hassle-free. They want fast chargers, more reliable charging stations, and power efficient accessories.
Amazon, on the other hand, will give buyers the option to make their homes an “electric-vehicle-friendly” home. This means that Amazon will provide E-tron owners the choice to utilize Amazon Home Services to arrange their homes for an installation of a home charger.
Also read: Tesla Model 3 in iconic red will cost more
Amazon Home services will provide customers with an online virtual space, where they can book a technician to install an EV charger, search prices for electrical services and even find information related to home EV charging technology and how to install such equipment.
This will be Amazon Home Service’s first-ever partnership with a car manufacturer to provide at-home charging facilities. Audi is looking at the big picture here.
Audi by joining forces with Electrify America will be supplying 1000 kilowatt-hours of power to E-tron owners over 4 years. This will be made possible due to Electrify America’s vast network of electric chargers.
By mid of 2019, Audi will have set up or deployed 500 fast-charging stations across 40 states and 17 metropolitan areas.
Tesla can breathe a sigh of relief since it will still be dominating in terms of charging stations.
These numbers pale in comparison to Tesla’s 1,342 fast-charging stations with 11,013 superchargers still insinuate towards a step in the right direction if Audi is hoping to compete with the electric vehicle powerhouse that is Tesla.
Last but not the least, Audi’s collaboration with Arcadia Power will enable users to save their electricity bills by utilizing renewable energy. This option will be available to all E-tron owners.
They can connect their electricity bills with Arcadia power and choose a renewable source of energy which they can use to offset their electricity bills. Depending on the production power of the project, users will be able to save money while driving comfortably in an Audi’s latest set of electric vehicles.
Now, this is the future I can look forward to!
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