Audi A4 e-tron Goes Electric to Fight BMW i4 and Tesla Model 3, Albeit Unofficially

Frankly, it feels like the Ingolstadt-based automaker has lost the premium hype train. Mercedes-Benz is diligently taking care of all the traditional aspects of the luxury sector and is basically hedging all its bets. As such, now it has a regular passenger car family of models, an alternative crossover and SUV lifestyle for all of them, plus the sustainable EQ alternative.

And the latter family is growing faster than you can say e-tron. As for BMW, the Bavarian automaker has gone down the outrageous path for some of its top models while others try to keep up with the times in the most fashionable way possible. Including the electrics, which do not compromise on the styling either.

And a good example would be the fresh i4 launched last year, which has the big ‘nostrils’ of the 4 Series and M3/M4 high-performance siblings but it’s actually fully electric. Meanwhile, Audi is doing the most subtle thing possible – diligently testing the next A4 iteration.

Tentatively called ‘B10’ by the rumor mill, the next generation of the compact executive best-selling nameplate is never too far away from the praying lens of our spy photographer partners, including in sustainable and practical A4 Avant PHEV form. But some people might think this is not nearly enough to ascertain supremacy.

As such, they would call for a fully electric A4 e-tron version and take matters into their hands if Audi seems unwilling. Or as is the case here, at the tip of the CGI brush. So, this fresh digital design comes courtesy of the good folks over at TopElectricSUV.com, who have imagined the hypothetical, unofficial looks of the BMW i4 and Tesla Model 3 fighter for a potential 2026 model year release.

That seems like a bit late in the fully electric compact executive EV game, but the truth is that we are not necessarily counting on Audi coming out faster than that. After all, remember that Volkswagen just changed its CEO leadership, and the new head honcho needs time to sort things out – and that includes Audi’s plans for additional EVs moving forward.

As for what could be hiding under the potentially sleek Audi A4 e-tron design, the rumor mill – as always – has lots of answers. So, the underlying architecture could be the Audi-Porsche co-developed PPE (Premium Platform Electric), as it might trickle down from the electric A6 sibling that was previewed by the A6 e-tron concept introduced last year. In terms of motors, single and dual-motor (for e-quattro) are only logical, especially since Tesla’s Model 3 also has them.