Watch out Tesla, Audi is coming.

The German brand has confirmed plans to add a second fully electric car to its line-up in 2019. The Audi e-tron Sportback will be built in the same Belgium factory as the already confirmed Audi e-tron, a fully electric SUV that will take aim at the Tesla Model X.

The news isn't a surprise as earlier this month the company's chairman, Rupert Stadler, announced plans to add more EV models to its range in the near future. But the confirmation that the e-tron Sportback will join the initial e-tron so soon after launch underlines the brand's commitment to electric cars in the wake of the Volkswagen Group's diesel emissions scandal.

The e-tron Sportback is expected to be based on the concept of the same name, which was unveiled at the 2017 Shanghai motor show. The five-door liftback will sit beneath the e-tron SUV but share the same electric drivetrain.

It is expected to offer a range of 400-500km between recharging its lithium-ion batteries. The concept was powered by a trio of electric motors that gave the car 370kW of power.

"With the decision on the Audi e-tron Sportback, we are showing that Audi takes the issue of electric mobility seriously," said Hubert Waltl, Audi's board member in charge of production and logistics. "A second battery-electric model will lead to optimal capacity utilization at our plant in Brussels." 

Electric car plans are accelerating for several luxury brands. By the end of 2019 in addition to the two Audi e-tron models Mercedes-Benz will have launched its EQ all-electric SUV and Jaguar's I-Pace SUV will also be on sale. BMW is also expected to offer electric versions of its 3-Series and X3 models as well as a potential SUV member of its i car family.

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