Audi E-tron is another fast and planet-friendly family wagon but lack of wing mirrors let it down

“OOOOH look – no wing mirrors. How amazing.”

I suppose that’s the reaction Audi wants to provoke by replacing traditional wing mirrors with cameras on the all-electric e-tron SUV.

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Because it sure as hell ain’t because they work better.

Retraining the brain to no longer look in the mirror and instead at a screen inside the door panel is near impossible.

If the feed was on the windscreen pillar I could understand it, because it would reduce the time your eyes are off the road.

But it’s not. It’s lower.

And what if the cameras go on the blink, like our smartphones sometimes do?

Rant over.

Here’s the skinny on the e-tron: it’s Audi’s answer to the Jaguar I-Pace and Tesla Model X – a fast and planet-friendly family wagon.

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With a claimed range of 241 miles – which on the test drive it came close to achieving – and a wallop of 402hp from two electric motors, it’s a tasty drive.

Thanks to a huge battery in the belly of the car it weighs a hefty 2.5 tonnes, but at the same time is afforded a low centre of gravity, which improves agility.

Air suspension is standard. A regenerative braking system turns kinetic energy into useable juice, which works best on steep downhills. I actually saw my range creeping up on harsher descents in the Yorkshire Dales.

Inside it’s typical Audi – clean lines and an abundance of tech, housed in two touchscreens.

On the outside Audi have kept it looking very, well, Audi. It deliberately steered away from the outlandish styling of its rivals.

Good shout, in my opinion.

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The e-tron is a step in the right direction for EVs but the big problem remains – how are you expected to charge it if you don’t have your own drive or garage?

Until that nut is cracked EVs will be a good idea for a few, but not all.

Reader's car of the week

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THIS bona fide British classic was sent in by Michael Treby, who tells me: “This is my 1971 Austin Sprite.

“They originally made Austin Healey Sprites but after a disagreement with Mr Healey, Leyland dropped his name and made just Austin Sprites. They made just over 1,000 of them, then dropped them. I’ve had her since 1992.”

Nice one, Michael. I’m glad to see it being given the love it deserves.

Send pics of your beloved car, along with details, to [email protected]

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THIS Armed Forces team, some injured in action, contested a 1,200-mile Sahara desert rally in three bargain-bucket Dacia Dusters, then drove them back to the UK.

Someone get them a beer.

Ask Alfie - used car specialist

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Q) WHAT’S going on here? I’ve just bought a full electric BMW i3 zero-emission car . . . and it’s £440 to tax it! What a cynical, nasty little tax.

I am an old guy trying to do right by my grandkids – this is outrageous!   JAMIE SALVADORI

A) Jamie, I feel your pain. Some halfwit obviously thought up these tax laws, introduced on April 1 (telling…), 2017, on the back of a fag packet.

However, if you’ve bought a brand new, fully electric i3, it should be £0 in year one and £320 for years two to six of ownership.

If you’re paying £440, you must have an older i3 Range Extender with the two-cylinder petrol engine, meaning £130 of regular annual tax plus the £310 “rich tax” as well.

Q) WHERE can I get an owner’s manual for a 2017 Volkswagen Tiguan 2.0 TDI 150, please? IAN PAXTON

A) You’re in luck, fella – you can download any VW owner’s manual, for vehicles built from 2011, from here:

Q) WHY are there 3.0-litre hybrids with electric motors in them? There should be an engine maximum size for hybrids, of – say – 1,600cc. ROGER BECK
A) It’s because we use hybrid to describe all manner of electrified vehicles – the main being mild hybrid (MHEV), hybrid (HEV), plug-in hybrid (PHEV) and fuel-cell hybrid (FCEV).

The 3.0-litre you’re talking about is, I suspect, an Audi MHEV, which is a diesel with a 48-volt electrical system that aims to eke out fuel reserves for as long as possible.

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