FROM ‘A’ TO ‘BEV’ – Audi’s Q4 e-tron vs Volvo’s EX40

FROM ‘A’ TO ‘BEV’

Audi’s Q4 e-tron vs Volvo’s EX40

Both are joys to drive – quick, agile, safe, environmental champions chock-full of premium touches that speak volumes about the steady evolution of electric vehicles.

Still, the 2025 Audi Q4 55 e-tron Quattro and Volvo EX40 Twin Motor Ultra, both selling for $58,500 to $65,000, also sound a cautionary note that the heyday of EVs is still a good five years off – at least for flyover America.

It is easy to see why Audi’s and Volvo’s luxury EVs are popular in Europe, which has narrow city streets, shorter travel distances, and an infinitely more developed public transportation network. Zipping around town and even for a quick jaunt out to Atlanta State Park, both vehicles were more than pleasant company if we stayed on the main roads.

Back roads, however, revealed a secret about downsized EVs: they ride rough. Previous test rides came in full-size electric SUVs and pickups, whose sheer mass concealed this matter of physics. Batteries are heavy, and supporting them requires beefy chassis and suspension systems. 

On smooth freeways, the small Audi and Volvo move with the grace and speed of championship ice skaters, displaying the exceptional control of electronically controlled all-wheel drive teamed with a low center of gravity and highlighting the effortless burst of power found only in electrics. On state highways and county roads, however, the Q4 and EX40 are as focused as tightrope walkers over an abyss, but transmit tarmac flaws with more gusto and road noise than we are accustomed to feeling and hearing.

Of course, a rough ride and tire howl have long been the chief complaints about what was for years the lone American entrant in this niche, the Tesla Model Y. It is thus Karmic that the new Model Y, which most reviewers say has sorted out the ride and handling remarkably well, is coming to market at a time when the company’s CEO managed to both disillusion and disenfranchise buyers.

Range matters

Injecting himself ham-handedly into politics is not Elon Musk’s greatest automotive sin. That was choosing to drop billions into building a high-priced electric pickup the world did not want instead of developing the affordable family hauler that it does. Sad news, Elon: Chevy now has a $35,000 EV, the Equinox, which is roomier and rides and handles better than the car you forgot to build.

The Equinox also has a better range; we got around 340 miles, more than the Audi Q4’s 258 miles or the Volvo EX40’s 293. We tend to consider range anxiety as another example of the hyperbole that drives automotive journalism. Most days, for most owners, it is not an issue. We hook up our phones and plug-in hybrid into a wall before bedtime, and all are fully charged long before daybreak. 

Go on the road, however, especially in an area of the country where charging stations are sparse, and this becomes a prickly issue. Weekend hikes into the Ouachitas necessitate a 150-mile roundtrip into a part of the world with zero (nada!) charging stations, so ensuring one has enough juice to get home is essential. Otherwise, we are looking at a hefty, embarrassing towing bill.

Although Volvo and Audi have agreements and adapters to plug into Tesla superchargers, neither vehicle arrived in my driveway with such hardware. We tried a few non-Tesla spots around town, but one was recalcitrant and the other broken. That left us at a charging station out on the Interstate with only one type of charger, a high-speed level 4. 

Sure, charging speed is what travelers want, but faster chargers are exponentially more expensive and sometimes have more energy than the car can accept. Chevy said the Equinox would charge faster at half the price of a Level 3 charger, but I did not have that choice. Instead, I spent 45 minutes and $45 charging the car (in addition to $20 for a two-egg breakfast while I waited.) 

I could have spent $15 gassing up my Highlander Hybrid, skipped the breakfast, and spent more time on the trail. Pay more for the car for the privilege of paying more for fuel? That misses an EV’s best-selling point. Despite scriptural principles that they should, most buyers do not feel morally obligated to protect the environment, but cutting $100 or more in monthly fuel costs seems compelling.

That only happens if one charges at home. When the only way to juice up is at a charging station, range matters.

At least when I got the Equinox back to town, I still had enough charge to last a few days. The Volvo and Audi returned from the hills with less than 50 miles of range, which is pretty much “E” in those things. I had to pay to charge them one more time so that the man who delivered them could make it closer to Dallas, where chargers are competitive and plentiful.

On the plus side, all three cars motivated me to stay within spitting distance of the speed limit because nothing shortens range faster than spirited driving. I might have pushed it a little while out in the boondocks. These cars operate in a different universe.

Beginning nears end

At this point, it sounds like I have jumped on the Never-EV bandwagon. I most certainly have not. Hyperbolic people overlook that change only appears to happen suddenly in hindsight. Electrics will take over transportation because they are infinitely more efficient and durable and are built primarily by robots, who rarely strike for greater wages and benefits. Though America trails the rest of the planet in its adoption, there are key signs that we are well past the EV tipping point.

Walmart, for example, revealed this week that it is ready to start installing proprietary charging stations at many, but not all, of its 5,200 stores and 600 Sam’s Clubs. Considering the Wild West nature of public charging stations in Texarkana, one might assume competition from a value-based, well-managed retailer will be a good thing. This will happen over the next few years.

Another big news item this week came from Stellantis, which used to be Chrysler, and its partner, Factorial Energy. They were able to validate a semi-solid-state battery. This is the holy grail in the EV world because solid (not liquid) batteries are smaller, lighter, more powerful, last longer, and recharge faster.

Will solid-state batteries cost more? Initially, yes – but conventional wisdom holds that every pound adds $5 to production costs. A lighter battery and chassis could eliminate 1,000 to 2,000 lbs. 

Stellantis’ solid-state has now met engineering standards for performance and safety. Next comes building prototypes, most likely e-Chargers, so people like me can thrash them around a track and tell people how amazing they are. Getting those into a working factory will take more years of R&D. Chrysler targets 2030 for production. Still, every other manufacturer and dozens of OEM suppliers are chasing the same pot of gold. 

Peak truck?

America’s love affair with pickups and large SUVs has, interestingly, occurred during a period when the U.S. ceased to be the world’s dominant automotive market, with around 15.6 million units a year. China with 30.1 million sales and India, with 25.6 million, lead, and Europe is just a step behind at 13 million. 

EV adoption occurs two to three times more quickly in those markets, but the world is moving even more quickly to electrification. In all markets, including the United States, hybrids are becoming increasingly popular. Half of all Toyotas are hybrids now, and dealers cannot keep them in stock.

The Dave Cantin Group, which advises dealers on mergers and acquisitions, released a report this week indicating that peak truck sales may have passed. The study revealed sharp drops in demand for pickups and SUVs but a 12 % increase in sedan preferences. 

The change is more pronounced among older and wealthier buyers. According to multiple statistical analyses, cost is the most significant driver. Even cash buyers have had enough of the sell fewer but more expensive vehicles strategy that emerged post-Covid. People who finance or lease are looking for ways to cut the monthly nut, and spending less on dinosaur juice is a good place to start.

This is a fight that the electrics will win. In business, as in war, victory goes to the more efficient. At scale, EVs will be less expensive to build and operate. They come with life cycles, not of 100,000-200,000 miles, but more like 600,000 miles or more. 

If that is happening, Peak Truck comes when an anti-EV administration seems bent on encouraging automakers to build carbon-fueled vehicles that are unattractive in global markets and may have diminishing prospects domestically. 

At least one major auto publication this week breathlessly announced that Trump is about to kill the American auto industry. That seems over the top, but statements like that attract clicks. However, if American manufacturers look backward while the rest of the planet is taking technological leaps forward, a serious long-term threat will evolve.

Dealers would be wise, the Cantin Group said, to build more diverse inventories. A few European-style compact sedans might be a good thing on the lot. Among the Big Three, Ford and Stellantis quit developing products like that years ago. Only General Motors is ahead of the game.

Who buys these?

The Audi Q4 55 e-tron Quattro appeals to buyers who value sophisticated design, advanced technology integration, and a refined driving experience, which are characteristics of the Audi brand. Its styling and interior appointments target individuals seeking a premium, tech-forward vehicle. 

The Volvo EX40 Twin Motor Ultra attracts those prioritizing safety, Scandinavian design minimalism, and environmental consciousness. Volvo’s reputation for safety and sustainability resonates with families and urban dwellers.

Bottom line: Would I buy one of these vehicles? Give it three to four years.