It appears Audi->ke14 is developing a wireless charging system for its next-generation R8 and possible future models. The news comes as Tobias Meyer of Audi’s product marketing department mentioned the experimentation with inductive wireless charging to CarAdvice at the debut of the gasoline-electric A3 e-tron.

Apparently the German automaker is in the very early stages of product development with such a system. “It’s brand new, and wireless charging is an expensive technology,” Meyer says. “We are discussing the topic right now….it’s under investigation.”

The wireless charging system would work by parking a compatible car atop a charging plate. That plate would then communicate and then charge the car via a matching charging plate installed on the car’s underbelly, eliminating the need of a plug.

At this point, the possibility of wireless charging is still a distant goal, but one that potentially may come on the next-generation Audi R8 e-tron set to enter its second generation in 2015. If Audi brings wireless car charging to market, it would be an industry first. However, Audi may have some competition, as BMW->ke178 and Daimler->ke3653 have announced plans to jointly develop a wireless charging system.

Click past the jump to read more about the next Audi R8.

Why It Matters

The addition of wireless charging for hybrid->ke147 and fully electric cars->ke1030 means a greater level of convenience in owning such a vehicle. No longer would owners have to plug a vehicle in to charge it. Simply park atop an induction-charging parking spot and begin getting power. Of course, the infrastructure would have to be installed and clearly marked for electric vehicle use. But until then, we can look forward to the possibility of never having to “fill up” again -- just having the car parked while at work, home, or at the mall will do the trick.

2016 Audi R8

The next-generation Audi R8 will come in several forms, including the standard V-8 trim, the powerful V-10 trim, and the e-tron version. In relation to the article above, the e-tron is said to be a fully electric vehicle that won’t skip out on performance. Both the V-8 and V-10 models will likely receive power updates in order to compete with the newest supercars on today’s market. And though the next R8 is set to hit showrooms in 2015 for Europeans, it’ll be at least till 2016 before it washes up on U.S. shores.