2017 e-Tron Technik Canadian Winter - 2 Week Impressions

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H

Hanshan

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Joined
Aug 4, 2016
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12
Picked up my 2017 Monsoon Grey Technik e-Tron 2 weeks ago. Here are my impressions so far:

RANGE, EV/ICE
- We've had a cold snap here in Vancouver, meaning temperatures in the -5 to 5 degree celsius range and a lot more snow than normal. Yes, this is cold for Vancouver (others across Canada laughing right now)
- Getting about 20-23 km of EV range each day. Heat, defogging, seat warmers being used liberally. Turning climate control off entirely gives it a good range boost, probably 5km. I hoping this will go up to 30+ in warmer weather.
- I've driven about 500km and 85% of it has been on electric.
- Range indicator shows I've got just under 600km of gasoline range left, and the fuel gauge is still showing 7/8 full. At this rate, I'll drive at least 2500km before fuelling up!
- My daily commute is short, about 8km round trip plus small errands here and there. Most of my days are 100% electric. Weekends usually with longer trips out to visit family, etc. is when the ICE kicks in.
- Pre-heating/air conditioning the car while it is plugged in helps range. I set the timer the night before and jump into a warm car when I head to work. I like circulating car air though so I'll at least have the fans on low.

CHARGING
- Been charging at home overnight from a standard 110v plug. 8 hours to full but totally fine.
- Will be getting an electrician to install a 240v plug in my garage soon so I can juice up quickly on weekends between errands
- Plugshare has been a fantastic app to use and find stations. When I go downtown or elsewhere, I've found lots of free charging or free charging included with parking. With the common level 2 chargers I can have a work meeting and a full battery before I head to my next destination.

DRIVING
- I agree with a lot of others' impressions that EV driving changes your driving style. It is far more relaxed. I think it is because the engine noise is gone and the ride is so smooth, plus I think I am semi-consciously trying to be efficient and preserve charge.
- Braking I find I am more even as well, paying attention to use the charge to recapture energy rather than slamming on the brakes and using the pads.
- In Sport Mode, I've noticed the EV braking is a lot more aggressive. I guess this is to compensate for more electricity being used in a more aggressive driving mode.
- The EV acceleration whirr or sound that it plays to warn pedestrians is actually kind of cool. Kind of like something you would expect from a sci-fi movie.
- The EV mode has a surprising amount of immediate torque. In hybrid mode (EV+ICE), it can certainly hold its own against my old '06 A3. It's no Tesla, but still plenty of guts to still feel sporty.
- The car is definitely heavier than your standard A3 hatch. You can feel it is just a tad less nimble on its feet. That said, there are pros. The ride is steady, balanced and smooth. In snow, the weight makes it feel a lot more sure footed.

OTHER IMPRESSIONS
- The full LED lighting package is great. The thought of never having to change a car bulb! My old A3 used to have a bulb burn out every other month. It also looks very futuristic but tasteful.
- Virtual display is very useful. I love that I can have the Audi mapping system up on the dash while my iPhone music app is up on the pop up screen. Can also flip it so you have Apple maps (which I prefer) on the pop up screen.
- Apple Carplay and smartphone integration is worth the price of admission on the tech package or Technik. I love having my music and maps at my finger tips and taking away the temptation to read texts or emails. Voice command and dictation take care of it all for you. No reading is much, much safer.
- I like that Audi now has standard USB plugs (2) and provide you with an apple lighting and micro-usb connector for Android Car.
- The trunk is smaller than my old A3 because of the battery, but was expected.

WISH WERE BETTER
- Same old A3 key fob as my old A3. Wish I had the newer A4 key fobs that are thinner.
- The EV plug door is a potential recipe for disaster. It seems a bit finicky and I'm worried it will break one day given it is open and closed everyday. Feels a bit less intuitive than just the standard gas tank type door many other EVs have. That said, placement at the front of the car makes a lot of sense when using public charging stations.
- Audi MMI navigation and user interface are meh compared to what Apple Carplay has to offer IMO. The Audi system just seems more cumbersome than it needs to be.
- Wasted space in the glove compartment for the CD drive, SD card, etc. etc. It's 2017. Doesn't everyone just plug in their smartphone or stream via bluetooth?
- Didn't have the option for homelink garage door opener to be built in like my old car or some other models of Audis. Miss that from my old A3 but it's just a matter of having a portable remote in my arm rest compartment.
 
Good review. Interesting that you don't have Homelink built in. I have it in my US 2016. I always wonder how the car companies come up with what goes in/out of the various versions of the same car. What could they gain by leaving out Homelink?

I wanted Android Auto, but after having the MMI/Nav, I'm fine with what I have. Also, from what I understand, by using AA or Car Play, you override some of the other functions of the MMI. Plus, I like the SD card slots as I can carry all of my music with me wherever I go. Never really got into streaming much as they never play exactly what I want. Still, AA/Car Play is a great option that will only get better. My next car will have it for sure.
 
rfortson,

You're right. AA/Carplay override some of the MMI features. If you are using Apple Maps for example, the Audi Mapping is disabled on the virtual cockpit and just shows the compass. I like Apple Maps so I don't have to update my Audi Maps with an SD card every once in a while (in Canada, we don't have etron connect to pull down maps over wireless).

I am definitely annoyed about the homelink after hearing some US dealers having it installed!

Anyone else notice the door for the ev-plug door (Audi symbol at front) sometimes jams? There have been a few times where I've had to try a couple times or pop open the hood of the car and close to jar it loose. If it starts become a regular problem I'm certainly going to take it back.

Almost 3 weeks in: 1.4L/100km, driven 650km and used a quarter tank of gas. Loving the EV life!
 
Great review Hanshan, very useful.

In regards to your comment about braking and charging "Braking I find I am more even as well, paying attention to use the charge to recapture energy rather than slamming on the brakes and using the pads", do you mean just lightly feathering the break pedal to slow down? In the 2016 model, you could use the steering wheel paddles to generate/conserve battery.

I have been wondering how you would do this in the 2017 model.

Thanks!
Ferster
 
Good review. I, too, had an 2006 A3, which I actually traded in for a 2016 A3 e-tron. It was a great car but needed costly repairs after 10 years. I'm currently leasing this car, and I think I'm pretty much ready for an an all-electric e-tron from Audi. I may look into VW if the e-Golf ever gets over 200 miles range.
-Ben
 
There is a dealer-installable Audi HomeLink module for the A3 that looks really good. Ask them about it - I am going to make sure it's included with the deal when I pick up the car...if my 1998 Land Rover had it standard, why can't my 2017 Audi? My guess is that it was supposed to be a port-installable item but doesn't get done as such, or isn't requested often enough.
 
I have an e-tron on order for delivery in March; I inquired today about the availability of a Homelink dealer installed accessory, and my dealer isn't aware of one. Do you have the details?
 
@ferster, on the technik 2017 with heated steering wheel, the paddles are removed. So yes, light feathering or even medium pressing down on the brake uses the regenerative braking instead of regular brakes.

I'm about 1,450km in and I think my 2,500 km estimate before fill up was a bit aggressive. As of now, I have just under 3/8 of my gas tank left, so probably in the range of 2,100 to 2,200km before fill up is likely.

Some other random updates:
-Instrumentation is telling me that I'm doing 1.7L/100km and 21.5 kWh/100km. Best range I've received was a warm sunny daytime drive (about 10 degrees celsius with a/c and heating off). Did 32km before the ICE kicked in. On a bad day, driving at night, heating, wipers, etc. about 18-20km.

- A very useful feature in the audi Nav system is the "points of interest" that shows you where charging stations are. Plugshare is great but there is no CarPlay app, so doing it while driving with the Audi Nav is helpful.

- Had a 240V, 20AMP plug installed in my garage this weekend with two outlets. The outlets are on opposite sides of my garage but on the same line, with a switch to toggle between them in case I park on either side or get another EV. I would have liked two separate plugs entirely at higher amperage, but my electrician tells me I would have needed a whole new breaker box, inspections, etc. to do this (cost would be been close to $5,000). I spent $400 total for labour and hardware which seems very fair.
 
bruintoo":3lde3cvr said:
Good review. I, too, had an 2006 A3, which I actually traded in for a 2016 A3 e-tron. It was a great car but needed costly repairs after 10 years. I'm currently leasing this car, and I think I'm pretty much ready for an an all-electric e-tron from Audi. I may look into VW if the e-Golf ever gets over 200 miles range.
-Ben
Click to expand...

Good luck. With the eGolf just hitting Canada this Summer (in a seemingly limited production run), I wouldn't expect a battery bump for a few years. I think the eGolf is just a stop-gap to say they've got something until they start releasing cars on their new all electric platform in 2019.
 
Hanshan":okz34c2s said:
- A very useful feature in the audi Nav system is the "points of interest" that shows you where charging stations are. Plugshare is great but there is no CarPlay app, so doing it while driving with the Audi Nav is helpful.
Click to expand...

What? No CarPlay support? That seems totally insane!

I'm interested in your use of chargers outside of the home, I'd sort of assumed that I'd only be charging at home or destinations, since without Level 3 charging you'd have to be at a station for at least an hour to get anything useful out of it.
 
Hanshan":4qdpeken said:
rfortson,

You're right. AA/Carplay override some of the MMI features. If you are using Apple Maps for example, the Audi Mapping is disabled on the virtual cockpit and just shows the compass. I like Apple Maps so I don't have to update my Audi Maps with an SD card every once in a while (in Canada, we don't have etron connect to pull down maps over wireless).
Click to expand...

Can I get some more details on this? I'm picking up my car Friday and was planning to sync CarPlay with my phone. But I do like the map on the virtual cockpit. So are you saying that if CarPlay is installed at all that the map isn't available on the V.C., or just if you're running Apple Maps on the MMI screen.

thanks
 
I am looking for information with regards to the original new vehicule warranty in Canada on the battery and charger.

Everywhere, it seems to be 8yrs/160000km or 100000 mi

I bought my 2017, used and certified with level 2 coverage, which is supposed to kick in once the original warranty expires with the remaining of all other warranties still valid (corrosion, etc...)

Am I surprised to notice this level 2 coverage I paid 1000$ limits the battery coverage to 8/100000 km 60000 mi?!

Is it only Audi Canada who did not back batteries up to 160000km while the rest of world did?
 
lacrojean":305l0dfz said:
Is it only Audi Canada who did not back batteries up to 160000km while the rest of world did?
Click to expand...

Just wanted to give this post a bump by leaving a comment.

I would also like to know about the battery coverage in the rest of the world (or at least the USA).
 
Battery warranty for USA is 8 years or 100,000 miles. However, I could not find out what the mileage threshold is to determine a warranty replacement.

One post I read said if the battery range is reduced by 30% from new (16-17mi) then it qualifies. If you only get 10mi on a full charge but I haven't been able to confirm with Audi USA or my dealer. Neither had an answer.
 

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