Audi has revealed UK pricing for the E-tron 50 – a cheaper and lighter entry-level version of its flagship electric SUV.

The new model is available from £59,900, including the government’s £3500 plug-in car grant, representing a saving of £7445 over the E-tron 55. It will be available in four trim levels, with prices rising to £72,700 for the highly specified Launch Edition, which is marked out by black trim elements and bespoke 21in alloy wheels from Audi Sport.

Available to order in the UK now, the new model weighs roughly 120kg less than the 2565kg E-tron 55, primarily as a result of its smaller battery pack.

The E-tron 50’s 71kWh pack – likely to be the lowest-capacity pack Audi will offer in the E-tron – enables it to achieve a range of up to 190 miles on the WLTP test cycle. That’s 51 miles fewer than the 95kWh E-tron 55.

By comparison, the E-tron’s main rival, the Mercedes-Benz EQC, has a WLTP-certified range of 259 miles in its standard 400 form. A future lower-spec variant could be expected to offer less than 200 miles.