Last week, Audi e-tron was launched. The world premiere marked the advent of a real e-ra that had moved out of drawing boards and circuit diagrams. It was the confirmation to the world, of Audi’s plans to offer twelve automobiles with all-electric drive by 2025. With these electrified models in its core markets, Audi intends to achieve roughly one-third of its sales at that time. For now, it is Audi’s one-up move when compared with floating dreams of other German manufacturers in the SUV category, with Mercedes’ EV being a near-distant reality and BMW’s iX3 still two years away!
Audi owns the evolving electric SUV market for now – rather, what Tesla leaves behind of it. On second thoughts, Model X and Audi e-tron are not direct competitors in size. Audi’s electric SUV e-tron – and the e-tron Sportback debuting in 2019 – will likely be competing with its own and SUV models and their German counterparts for now, rather than usurp Tesla’s position – which is a great position to be at the moment. Besides the two mentioned, Avant and Sportback will also be available of the e-tron.
Peter Mertens, Member of the Board of Management for Technical Development at AUDI AG: “The Audi e-tron is definitely a highlight in the history of our company and the starting signal for our electrification strategy.” In order to live up to Audi’s plan to cover compact to the full-size class with its electric SUV range, the company needs four technical platforms and product families.
Collaboration among family brands could be key to the feasibility of the programme through platform-sharing. The Audi e-tron and e-tron Sportback use components from Audi’s modular longitudinal platform. This and numerous innovative technologies primarily in the area of drive systems are giving rise to a separate product family of e-SUVs with electric quattro all-wheel drive. Currently, Audi e-tron is the first in its class to beat Tesla’s charging credentials with fast charging of a 150 kW powerhouse.
The ambitious plans of Audi will give us a peek into another e-platform at the Los Angeles Motor Show by the end of this year: The Audi e-tron GT concept showcar will be based on the Porsche taycan, formerly known as Misson E. Another joint project of the development departments at Audi and Porsche is the Premium Platform Electric (PPE), which will spawn several all-electric model families – of both SUVs and classic body styling – from B through D segments of the market.
Another platform where multiple Volkswagen Group brands are collaborating is the modular electrification platform (MEB), which lays the ground for a series of Audi e-models, particularly in the high-volume A segment. One of these is being developed specifically for China where electric vehicles sales have touched half a million this year. AUDI AG will also greatly expand its range of plug-in hybrid automobiles.
The Audi e-tron: An Audi with a plug
The e-tron not only presents an example of electric car usability but also takes tech to a different level.
The Audi e-tron is their first all-electric series production model. The unveil at San Francisco left the world with a sporty full-size SUV that looks good for everyday use and looks like an Audi from bonnet to boot. In other words, their electric SUV looks like stuff we know rather than a weirdo.
The Audi e-tron is powered by two powerful electric motors that are locally CO2-neutral and virtually silent. The power is distributed by a new generation of the quattro drive – the electric all-wheel drive – that ensures continuous regulation and variable distribution of drive torques between the two axles.
Audi emphasises its sporty character and outstanding transverse dynamics pointing to the low and central positioning of the battery system. While that contributes to an excellent driving range, the Audi e-tron recovers energy in more than 90 percent of all decelerations. The integrated electrohydraulic brake control system is the first of its kind in an electrically powered series production vehicle. Needlessly to say, the aerodynamics is conducive to this energy saving design and one highlight of this concept are the optional virtual exterior mirrors that reduce aerodynamic drag – a first in the world for a series production model.
How does the Audi e-tron feel
The Audi e-tron is comparable to a Q7 in space and comfort, and comes with reliable charging solutions that are home-based and on the go! Making life e-asier inside the cabin are the e-tron route planner that shows required charging points along the way, keeps billing automatic at charging stations and allows remote control via smartphone. A high-end media center MMI navigation plus that includes LTE Advanced (mobile data technology), and a Wi-Fi hotspot are standard. Driver assist systems of the e-tron level include standard efficiency assist (displays predictive information and performs automatic recuperation) and adaptive cruise assist that can brake and accelerate the electric SUV predictively.
The Audi e-tron is assembled at the CO2-neutral plant in Brussels. We can expect them on European roads by late 2018. An indicative starting price (Germany) is 79,900 euros or 345,400 dirhams.
