The two EV crossovers are very close when they cross the finish line.
For many years, Tesla appeared to have an edge in the electric vehicle market by offering products with a combination of driving range and performance that more established automakers’ EVs could match. The times are changing, though, because the Elon-Musk-helmed company is starting to face legitimate challengers. In this video, Fifth Gear puts one of them to the test by challenging a Tesla Model X against an Audi E-Tron in best two-out-of-three drag races.
Gallery: Tesla Model X Drag Races Audi E-Tron
Specifically, Fifth Gear uses the base Model X Long Range, rather than the hotter performance model that sacrifices some range for extra power. At this time, there’s only one powertrain available in the E-Tron. However, spy shots suggest a hotter model is on the way.
When preparing for the drag race, the setup is completely different. The E-Tron requires a rather complicated process of putting the vehicle into launch mode, but the Tesla just only needs the driver to mash the pedal.
We’ll only spoil the first race to keep this video exciting. The Tesla jumps to an early lead, but less than the length of the hood separate the two vehicles. The Model X never gives up its position in front. However, it only gains a little more distance on the Audi when the two of them cross the finish line.
The rest of the video showcases the other races. Without getting into the results, it’s impressive that the two vehicles are consistently so close together when they cross the finish line. At least in a straight line, the Model X Long Range and E-Tron are close competitors.