Is Audi e-tron stealing the thunder from Tesla in US?

Is Audi e-tron stealing the thunder from Tesla as the SUV has become the most-searched electric vehicle (EV) in the US, and could this send shivers down Elon Musk firm’s spine?

 

A study on Google volume data searches by Chrysler Capital has found that Audi e-tron is the most-searched EV in the US. It has a total of 4,460 monthly searches, much ahead of Tesla, which did not even make it to the top four in the pecking order. 

The Audi e-tron electric SUV.

The study, which shows the preferences of American internet users, saw Chevrolet Bolt EV at a distant second position with 1,380 monthly searches.

 

Mercedes-Benz EQ and BMW i4 clinched the third and fourth spots with 450 and 170 monthly searches each, respectively.

 

So, why is the Audi e-tron so popular among EVs in the US? One of the reasons for this is that it focusses on pure luxury. And, it undoubtedly delivers the most comfortable driving experience possible in an EV.

 

It also has superior steering and ride quality, shows consistent performance, has a litany of tech features and is impeccably finished. It is said to be better in everyday driving even compared to the iconic Tesla cars.

 

Also, the Audi e-tron’s cabin is among the best few in luxury electric SUVs. All of its materials are upscale and they include its soft-touch plastics.

 

Every model comes with leather upholstery, and the top trim is offered with wood accents.

 

The 2021 Audi e-tron has a string of advanced safety features, including forward collision as well as rear cross-traffic warnings. There is also automatic emergency braking and blind-spot monitoring.

 

Even though it is feature rich, the Audi e-tron is priced judiciously at $65,000 in the US.

           

In terms of the most-searched vehicle (overall), the Chrysler Capital study said that Jeep Wrangler bagged the first spot with 166,950 (1.66 lakh) monthly searches.

 

The second and third spots were taken by Toyota Tacoma and Toyota 4Runner with 107,680 and 69,820 monthly searches, respectively.

Following them were Honda Civic, Ford F-150, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Ford Ranger, Dodge Charger, Honda CR-V and Toyota Tundra, with monthly searches ranging from around 46,000 to 61,000.

 

According to the study, Honda Civic has the most Instagram Hashtags on social media, and hence, it is highly popular among the Amercans.

 

Also, the Honda CR-V is the sixth-most popular car on Instagram, having a whopping one million Hashtags. If we compare, this would be one fifth of the Civic’s numbers and half as many as Dodge Charger.

 

Another aspect of the study was checking the type of vehicle that is most searched by American internet users. The top position in this category was bagged by SUVs, which were followed by minivans, sedans, coupes, wagons and hatchbacks.

 

So, from this study, we see that gasoline and diesel cars are still highly popular in the US market compared to electric vehicles, which are still a fraction of the searches. 

Therefore, these internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles may not go anywhere unless Federal policy forces them out.

 

But Audi e-tron stealing the thunder from Tesla could imply that luxury car makers like Audi, Mercedes-Benz and BMW, as well as the likes of Hyundai, Honda, Ford, GM and Toyota, which are getting into high-quality EVs, could soon start giving sleepless nights to Elon Musk.