THE Audi e-tron Sportback – the second electric vehicle to wear a softly glowing version of the German luxury brand’s four-ring logo – will go into production in 2019, the car maker has confirmed.

The compact Sportback will join the plainly named e-tron, an electric SUV due next year, as Audi’s battery-fuelled push gains momentum – it is the second of three new all-electric vehicles the brand aims to build. The third is expected to be a Q6 e-tron, built off an upcoming fastback-styled version of the Q7 large SUV.

2017 Audi e-tron Sportback concept

The Audi A7-styled e-tron Sportback’s electric motor should be able to make the sprint from 0-100km/h in about 4.5 seconds, helped by 800Nm of stump-pulling thrust available from almost a standstill and sent to all four wheels. And just like a turbo car, the e-tron Sportback is expected to include an overboost function that will bump power to 380kW for up to 10 seconds.

2017 Audi e-tron Sportback concept

The Shanghai concept includes some clever thinking, such as luminescent interior panels that provide ambient light without the need to use energy-sapping bulbs. Yes, you still need to power up the panels, but Audi says the drain on the electrical system is a lot less.

The production car will spin off the Volkswagen Group’s MEB “ Modular Electrification Toolkit” platform that will underpin the group’s future battery-powered vehicles.

2017 Audi e-tron Sportback concept