The automobile—a machine the has been around for more than a century. Yet, its origins of powering have essentially remained the same. With the internal combustion engine approaching its shelf life of efficiency, one would ask, “Is electric the future?” Personally, I may argue with that. I am an old soul. Hearing the exhaust note of a car is something that I thrive to experience. However, in the last decade, the number of electric vehicles that are on the road has nearly doubled. Big brands such as Tesla, Mercedes and Toyota are playing the field with electric technology. But if there is one manufacturer that I feel is ahead of the game, it’s Audi. The German manufacturer is consistently revolutionizing the automobile. With its signature all-wheel drive system known as Quattro in the mid-'80s, to its new electric game changer, the E-Tron, Audi is always evolving. At first glance, this looks like a high end luxury SUV, but this vehicle has more than meets the eye. With the push of a button, silence ensues, yet the entire car comes alive visually. Touchscreen sensory overload (is how I best describe it), but still manageable. And features? Truly more features than I can count. A plush leather interior and leg room for everyone makes it appealing to all heights.
Now amenities aside, the question remains, how does it drive? I won't lie, I’ve never been big on the electric car game, maybe because to me they feel somewhat soulless? However, driving the E-tron from a comfort spectrum is quite stunning. The SUV handles like a sports car. It's smooth, it drives like a luxury SUV should, refined and then some. Absolutely silent is quite possibly the best way to describe this fine machine. It truly is the quietest vehicle I have ever driven. Whether it's 8mph or 80, you could hear a pin drop. I don’t know what sound engineers Audi hired for this project, but they deserve a raise. Coming from a guy who practically goes deaf driving vintage race cars, this was a nice change to experience out of an automobile. It's electric, so one might ask, “How often do I need to charge it?” and “Will I run out of battery?” Battery technology has improved night and day—you can literally travel across the country in this SUV. Just a quick charge and you are back on the open road. If you are in the electric car market, Audi is a winner. Tesla is great and all, but I'm a man who looks for attention to detail. Audi nailed it quite successfully with the E-Tron.