Audi only just recently unveiled plans for the 2017 Q7 e-Tron plug-in diesel hybrid with a 35-mile pure electric range. It will supposedly be a record setter for fuel economy in its segment, but Audi has bigger plans beyond this. The plan is to bring out a pure electric SUV which will be its own separate model and have its own unique look to it. This is a good call for a few reasons. While automakers continue to find volume sales of pure electric elusive, they work quite well as luxury cars.

As for the design aspect, people really like electric and hybrid models which are recognizable as such (this is known as the Prius Effect), so simply making a pure electric Q7 wouldn't cut it. Heavy battery packs are going to be less noticeable in a vehicle which is already heavy anyway, thus helping to manage handling expectations. The vehicle will evidently also have a range of about 300 miles, which will surely be appealing. We don't have any further details yet, but it's a pretty safe bet that the car will be a formidable opponent for the planned upcoming SUV from Tesla.