Less Than 3 Months Out Of The Gate, Audi e-tron USA Sales Drop 16% In July. WHY Does It Seem To Be Flopping SO Fast?

No matter what your product is if you're a PR person, you want to generate as much hype as possible. Especially, when you're in the car biz and you have to drum up excitement starting with pre-orders, all the way through to product launch at the dealerships.

And the pressure is intense, especially when a product you introduce is going to go head to head with the company that is the MASTER of generating hype, Tesla.

But when you're desperate and you're losing mindshare by the second, you gotta give your all.

When Audi launched the e-tron in SF, we were at the launch. THEY SPENT A FORTUNE. And i have to say they did a good job building excitement. And the mainstream media bit. And bit hard. 

I remember when they rolled it out and all I could think is HOW are they going to seriously challenge Tesla with a vehicle that looks like a refreshed, fifteen year old all-road?

But because of the hype in the areas where Tesla's were selling they started getting a good number of deposits. I think one of the big dealers in the Bay Area bragged they had almost 300 deposits.

But by the time the first cars rolling in, that same dealer told us that over NINETY-PERCENT of the people who put money down, CANCELLED their orders.

Now to be fair, the cars started coming in to dealers and May was the first full month on sale. USA Sales in May were 856. Then June 726. And today we found out they sold 678 in July.

So there's a clear trend here. And it's NOT a good one. At a time when the sales should be growing they are slowly declining. To be fair, it's only 3 months in, but it's not looking good.

So in YOUR opinion WHY does the Audi e-tron seem to be flopping SO quickly out of the starting gate? Do you think the trend will turn around or will it be like a slow leaking balloon going forward?

Spies, discuss...

CANADIANCOMMENTS - 8/1/2019 10:50:26 PM

-5 Boost

This was supposed be the first salvo in a wave of cars by "real" car makers that would eat Tesla's lunch. Time will tell if anyone will succeed with BEV's for all other than maybe Porsche with the new Taycan (Tin-Can).

valhallakey - 8/1/2019 10:56:10 PM

0 Boost

No kidding, I cannot count the number of times I have read that here. I will say after test driving a model 3, I think Tesla is ahead of everyone else in multiple ways from motor tech, battery tech, automated driving tech through to really rethinking how basic systems in a car should work. Even the ventilation system is a marvel of engineering. I hate when cars... some quite luxurious try to shove the cool are out of small vents, it is noisy and can create cold areas... like on your hands etc... Some of them don't work as well as others as I think the 3 definitely needs a HUD so you can see basic info without taking your eyes so far off the road. But other than that I was seriously impressed when I did not think I would be.

Car4life1 - 8/1/2019 11:58:35 PM

-2 Boost

Looks too much like a wagon, had it been more SUV-like similar to the EQC or even the Q5, could’ve stood a chance...poor planning/positioning

Truthy - 8/3/2019 1:28:13 PM

+6 Boost

I've been in this vehicle. Does not look like a wagon at all. It looks remarkably like the Q8 it was parked next to.
Where do you see it looking like a wagon or is this just an opportunity to bash Audi?

Car4life1 - 8/3/2019 8:55:14 PM

-6 Boost

Calm your tits sweetie, I’ve been in it too, and actually it looks worst than a wagon, I apologize to the E Class wagon still going strong

MDarringer - 8/3/2019 9:08:19 PM

-6 Boost

@C4L1 How pussy-grabbing, misogynistic of you! You're a hypocrite.

Car4life1 - 8/3/2019 9:59:04 PM

-6 Boost

I thought you’d get a kick outta that Mattie boy, “Like President, Like Citizen”

MDarringer - 8/4/2019 2:18:01 PM

-8 Boost

And that shows you to be a hypocrite. You pretend to be offended when someone else in sexist, but it's a virtuous thing when you do it.

Car4life1 - 8/4/2019 3:07:19 PM

-5 Boost

Keep that same energy with the commander in chief or cry me a river

MDarringer - 8/4/2019 5:00:56 PM

-8 Boost

So what you're saying, Mr. Hypocrite is that--assuming the President is guilty of this--that it's OK for you to be as bad, but when you do it, it's OK?

#TwistedLogic
#DoubleStandard
#Hypocrite
#Immoral

Car4life1 - 8/6/2019 3:20:01 PM

+1 Boost

#Triggered as usual, funny all your hashtags can be applied to the Big Orange Baboon, think that’s why your buddies voted u down LOL

Cpsf - 8/2/2019 12:06:11 AM

-3 Boost

Ummm, where are all the Tesla haters? Eventually the mainstream brands will catch Tesla but it may not be the forgone conclusion the old guard here wishes for. And even when it does happen, remember that Elon wants it to happen. He said years ago that he wanted to start the march towards electric replacing ic as the mode of automobile power. He’s already succeeded. And while we wait for the rest of the industry to (maybe) catch up, I’ll happily be driving and wearing out my Model 3.

Truthy - 8/2/2019 2:37:06 PM

+5 Boost

How has he succeeded? Billions in debt? Structurally unprofitable? Conned investors.

SanJoseDriver - 8/2/2019 12:33:29 AM

-5 Boost

It's not a compelling car, the specs don't make any sense. The fact that they are doing a 50 KWH version with less than 150 miles of range and a weaksauce 7 second 0-60 for $70k make EVEN LESS sense.

Like Canadiancomments said, the Taycan is the only EV that is a compelling alternative.

MDarringer - 8/3/2019 9:39:25 PM

-1 Boost

I know this will come as a huge shock, but I am not a fan of Tesla. That said, if you're going to compete with Tesla, you don't come to market with a product that has LOWER performance than what Tesla was doing 5 years ago. The etron should have come with a 500 mile range or 300 miles plus insanely fast charging. Given that was not in the cards, then the etron should have at minimum matched Tesla.

SanJoseDriver - 8/4/2019 9:02:49 PM

-5 Boost

They could have just taken a Q7 and built a $150k halo car to build credibility. The S/X now cap at just $100k. 700hp, 3 motors, and a double-stacked battery with 400+ miles of range could be done easily at $150k.

runninglogan1 - 8/2/2019 3:24:09 AM

+4 Boost

I'm surprised it's bombing so hard. I actually like it.

So much for the confidence of buying from an established automaker.

Guess the relatively lackluster range and performance are a deal breaker for most.

I doubt the EQC will fare much better as it has similar weaknesses.

atc98092 - 8/2/2019 8:55:33 AM

0 Boost

Agreed. For the price and battery size, it doesn't have the range people are expecting. Lower priced alternatives are available with more range (not a lot more, but more is better).

I think the sweet spot for range is 250-300 EPA miles. Although I will say that during the warmer months it seems that many EVs can exceed their EPA ratings. There are user reports of the Niro EV getting close to 290 real world miles, and my PHEV can exceed 32 (EPA 26) miles.

vdiv - 8/2/2019 12:18:23 PM

+1 Boost

The I-Pace and the elephant/falcon in the room, the Model X.
Then you have the half-assed PHEV variants of the X5 and the whatever three letters Mercedes can come up with for an SUV.

mre30 - 8/2/2019 8:57:56 AM

+10 Boost

Its getting people in the door at the Audi stores but then end up driving out in an Q8 instead.

#Logic.Prevails

MDarringer - 8/2/2019 12:06:32 PM

-8 Boost

What? After they discount the Q8 $40K???

MDarringer - 8/2/2019 9:33:44 AM

-5 Boost

The range is terrible. Audi needed to arrive with a 300+ mile range or an insanely fast charging time.

It costs too much for so little range.

It isn't attractive to look at so the Audi fan boys bought theirs but the product isn't convincing enough to get people to buy an Audi EV.

vdiv - 8/2/2019 12:22:43 PM

+9 Boost

The efficiency is terrible, Audi used heavy gauge steel, fat wheels, and loaded the interior with sound-proofing, fluffy seats, and screens.

OneOfOne - 8/2/2019 9:45:39 AM

-7 Boost

no range, too expensive, cant build them, wrong packaging. they must think the rich guinea pigs and leaf peepers are suckers. oh, wait....

carloslassiter - 8/2/2019 9:55:31 AM

-1 Boost

Looks like a regular Audi, costs more, performs worse.

malba2367 - 8/2/2019 10:59:38 AM

-5 Boost

The Model Y happened. This offers nothing that the Model Y does not (and worse range), yet the price is a lot higher.

vdiv - 8/2/2019 12:24:59 PM

+7 Boost

Yes, but the Model Y is not out yet. The Model X is and it sold twice as many.

Truthy - 8/3/2019 1:31:07 PM

+8 Boost

When did the model Y happen? It won't be out for at least 2 years.

SanJoseDriver - 8/4/2019 8:53:22 PM

-6 Boost

Given how it is ~70% Model 3, I think end of next year is actually pretty realistic. My concern is the giant machine that will build most of the frame. No one else is doing this so it is a big risk that could delay mass production. Sure they can hand-build the car like the did at the start of manufacturing, but I think we'd all like to see them ramp this up faster than the 3. I say we all, because Ford, GM, etc., will all be pressured to build better SUVs or drop prices. Everyone wins even if you hate Tesla.

SanJoseDriver - 8/5/2019 8:42:52 PM

+1 Boost

It's a premium car with equivalent or better specs than luxury counterparts, I wouldn't call it luxury exactly (I also wouldn't call an iPhone XS a luxury phone even though it is the best phone on the market). The interior space is equivalent to any other midsized SUV.

cidflekken - 8/2/2019 11:51:29 AM

0 Boost

It's just not a really compelling care that checks no emotional connections to buyers. It's literally an EV Q8. EV and hybrid buyers don't seem to navigate to that. That's why the Prius and the Tesla models are such successes. They scream to everyone that "that's a special kind of car", whether ugly or not. I think that's the strength of the EQC as well - it's clearly differentiated from any other SUV in the Benz lineup.

Also, it's too expensive and has relatively weak range.

vdiv - 8/2/2019 12:28:55 PM

+9 Boost

Gonna play devil's advocate and say this is not such a bad result for Audi considering it is the first month of quarter (all EV sales are down), it is in the middle of the summer, and it is only the third month the e-tron has really been for sale. That said both the e-tron and the I-Pace have a lot to offer and a lot to overcome so unless these automakers are doing these for compliance reason they need to double down, starting with getting the dealerships onboard.

MDarringer - 8/2/2019 1:13:16 PM

-8 Boost

Audi is in a full-on crisis at the moment.

Sales have stagnated.

Styling is mired in model year 2000.

The A8 is a colossal failure against the S Class.

Their first EV is a total disaster.

Truthy - 8/2/2019 2:34:57 PM

+5 Boost

And yet they are still more profitable than Tesla.

Truthy - 8/2/2019 1:02:09 PM

+7 Boost

Agree, it has only been out for three months and your sample size is one dealer?
It could be supply, season, any number of reasons. But way too soon to call it a flop.
Plus, ahem fanboys, Audi makes money.
Goldman Sachs says Tesla is structurally unprofitable. Roh-roh.

Hauerg - 8/2/2019 5:54:27 PM

0 Boost

Goldman Sachs said Greece was fit to enter the Eurozone.
So ....

Truthy - 8/3/2019 1:33:19 PM

+3 Boost

Wow, you pull one example out. So I guess you think GS is a failure and Tesla successful?
Do you want a list of respected analysts saying Tesla is structurally unprofitable or an economics lesson?

GermanNut - 8/2/2019 1:30:06 PM

+1 Boost

Audi's eTron is a failure for numerous reasons as stated above and listed below:

1) Poor range - Drivers want to go far with their EVs. With the eTron that isn't an option compared to its competitors.

2) Poor Performance - The acceleration is awful for a car at this price. Sure, buyers in this segment aren't looking for 3-second 0-60 times but the eTron's acceleration is pathetic.

3) Poor exterior design - the eTron looks like a Q5 and Q8 blended together. Nothing tells anyone its an electric vehicle and it doesn't look much different than Audi's existing SUVs but yet comes at a premium.

Audi is in full-on crisis mode at the moment. The eTron is a great example of its numerous missteps translating into poor sales. Audi must turn this sinking ship around immediately.

supermoto - 8/2/2019 2:08:46 PM

+5 Boost

"Poor range - Drivers want to go far with their EVs"

Funny, I live in California and no one I know who has an EV cares about range. They just commute to and from work each day and then charge their cars every night. The only reason they even have EVs in the first place is to be able to drive solo in the carpool lane. If they actually wanted to go somewhere, like on a road trip, they would use one of their non-EV cars.

cidflekken - 8/2/2019 2:43:28 PM

0 Boost

So are you talking about someone who spent the money on a Leaf or a Tesla?

SanJoseDriver - 8/4/2019 9:06:37 PM

-5 Boost

I think about range well less than when I had ICE cars, but range should still be competitive with other cars with similar prices. If you're spending $70k on a car, you should be able to do roadtrips if you want, even if that is going to be 0.5% of your drives. 200 miles is the psychological minimum even if you only drive 20 miles a day. For a $70k car, you should be able to get close to 300.

SuperCarEnthusiast - 8/2/2019 2:11:04 PM

0 Boost

Price to high!