Unlike a petrol-powered car, where there’s already a vast and proven network that exists to keep it fueled, the e-tron will be launched into a world where there isn’t anywhere near the same support for electric vehicles. However, Audi as part of the VW Group has teamed up with Mercedes, BMW and Ford to create Ionity – a network of high-powered DC charging stations. By the end of this year there will be at least 200 Ionity stations, with an average of six charging points at each, all over Europe. By 2020 there will be double that. At a 150kw Ionity station, the E-tron takes just 30 minutes to gain 80 per cent of its full battery charge from flat. It’s not so swift when charging at home, however; the standard 11kw mobile charger that comes with the car will take 8 and a half hours to fully juice up the e-tron. An optional 22kw charger, as it’s twice as powerful, takes half the time.