Audi unveils its all-electric Tesla Model X competitor, the e-tron

Audi's first all-electric car, the e-tron, is ready to plug in.

The German company's mid-sized SUV was revealed in Richmond, California, only about 40 miles from Tesla headquarters in Fremont, where the electric Model X SUV is made. 

And it's meant to be totally ... "normal." 

That's the word Filip Brabec, Audi VP of product management, used at a launch event Monday in San Francisco. 

"What was so important for us was the transition from internal combustion engine to an electric car is as seamless as possible," he said. "We didn’t want to create a car that is edgy and quirky and different."

To show off it's very normal automobile, Audi took over a music venue across from City Hall, where it had e-tron sports and racing car prototypes on display. Audi also showed off its virtual side mirrors — a feature that isn't allowed on U.S. models, only its European cars. A HoloLens exhibit let you "see" the car charging and regenerating energy from braking, and a sample fast charging station from Electrify America glowed green. Read more...