We are prepared for the all-out invasion of electric cars from the Volkswagen Group. Audi showed a clear path to electrification with the E-Tron SUV, the Aicon, and even that crazy PB18, but now we have been introduced to the gorgeous Audi E-Tron GT. As a saloon, the E-Tron GT tends to be the ultimate expression of Audi’s own electric future by combining state-of-the-art technology with electric propulsion and framing it all into a form so gorgeous it’ll mess with your mind.

Actually, it is so gorgeous that it will make an appearance in The Avengers. Even if we disregard The Avengers, the Audi E-Tron GT is filled with such wonders that I am rather smitten by its presence and the technology included in one package. I will present you 15 astounding facts about the new Audi E-Tron GT - basically the first car to match the stature of the Tesla Model S. And in my eyes, to shatter that stature to pieces.

It is that beautiful.

The Audi E-Tron GT Concept Is A Stunning Four-door Performance Sports Coupe With Massive Wheels

The E-Tron GT is a conceptual four-door performance sports coupe - a four-door coupe if you like. Deciding to make a sporty four-door coupe was the only logical step Audi could take. Considering the unstoppable sedan slump in terms of sales, Audi had to add a bit of spice to that with the coupe shape. And I am actually quite sure that the Taycan architecture, on which the Audi E-Tron GT is based, requires such exterior shape. Nothing bad with that.

Now, this is the concept. Do not forget that. However, Audi promised it will look much the same when it reaches production. Read a bit more on that later on. Let me tell you right now that one of the biggest changes between the concept and the production version will be downgraded in terms of wheel dimensions - from 22 inches of the concept car to 21 inches for the production version. Not exactly a massive downgrade, is it?

The Audi E-Tron GT Has 90-kWh Battery and Two Electric Motors

A few months back when we learned about the Taycan and its 600+ horsepower electric motors. I thought that Audi's all-electric sedan will be getting exactly the same setup. However, this is not entirely the case. Audi capped the power for the electric motors in the E-Tron GT at 590 horsepower. Obviously, a bit less compared to the Taycan. Some exclusivity has to be saved for the likes of the Taycan obviously.

Nevertheless, the batteries are the same. The new batteries can support superfast charging and are linked with probably the most advanced recuperation technology setup in the world. The batteries are guarded against crashes with comprehensive protection that includes an internal aluminum structure, as well as external crash guards. Of course, with high-flow of energy, the batteries tend to get hot, but they do sit on top of cooling tubes filled with glycol cooling fluid. Much the same setup is used for the Audi E-Tron SUV. As I understand, this system is different compared to the system found in the Tesla Model S. In the case of the American EV producer; the batteries are housed in a way that the car’s structure acts as a primary crash guard.

The E-Tron GT is a Quattro and is Considered a "New Member of the Audi Sport Family"

I was a bit sad when Audi Quattro GMBH changed its name to Audi Sport GMBH. That is moving with the times, however, and I am over my sadness. I mean, with such powerful electric motors, I am not even surprised it’s entered the realm of Audi Sport. Heck, it is one of the quickest there. I believe, one of the most capable as well. See, the architecture of the E-Tron GT enables it to have a low center of gravity. Audi R8 low. No Audi A7 or the A6 can achieve something like this.

Then, there’s all the suspension work translated from the Porsche Taycan. It will be almost as quick as the Taycan, looks ecstatically awesome, and features all the tech imaginable. I am not sure if people will actually be willing to pay a hefty premium for the Taycan name.

The Production Version of the Audi E-Tron GT Will Come in 2020

The Audi E-Tron GT already seems like a finished product. However, it is not. A lot more work is needed to polish some stuff on it, and more importantly, to finish off the tooling, training for employees, and prepare the market for its imminent introduction. Two more years need to pass. Apparently, the Ingolstadt-based company plans to reach production of up to 600,000 electric vehicles per year by 2025. That’s almost a third of all of its production it achieved last year. The production E-Tron GT is an important part of this plan. I have to be clear with you though. Such grandiose promises almost never come to life. I can’t wait to see if Audi will manage to live up to its word.

The E-Tron GT's Interior is 100-Percent Vegan

I thought that Range Rover went the furthest with its vegan interiors. The Velar and the new Evoque both have quite amazing interiors upholstered with “vegan” materials. Audi vent down this road too. Imagine the irony, you are resting your feet on carpets made from nets that some time ago maybe entangled a Hawksbill Turtle, the most endangered marine animal in the world.

Synthetic leather, microfibers, old fishing nets and what not, actually give the Audi E-Tron Concept quite a stunning ambiance inside. I find it quite soothing and rather premium. Hopefully, the Germans will keep the inside of the production E-Tron GT as close to the concept as well.

The Audi E-Tron GT Was Developed in Close Collaboration with Porsche

Not only is it a close collaboration, but both cars are based on the same basic architecture. The Audi E-Tron GT and the Taycan share virtually everything - including the layout of the batteries, positioning of the electric motors, and possibly some of the finer points such as the track width and center of gravity.

Considering that they are as close in their execution as say the VW Golf and the Audi A3, I am rather keen on finding out the finer points that differentiate them - apart from the exterior looks, of course. Yet, the differences in how they behave on the road, how they tackle the bends, and how they attack the tracks will differ the most. The Audi E-Tron GT must be plusher, finer, and less adventurous than the Taycan. I am basically saying that the driving position in the Taycan will be lower, the suspension stiffer, the steering sharper, and the acceleration (in certain versions) more brutal.

Nevertheless, the beautiful E-Tron GT certainly has its merits, but looking at both of these cars from the perspective of today, I have to say that I don’t think they will be as different as I’d like. They will probably be less different than the BMW Z4 and the new Toyota Supra are. Yet, the only real comparisons can be drawn in the real world, behind the steering wheel.

The Audi E-Tron GT Has 4-wheel Steering and a Low Center of Gravity

Electric car batteries, especially those with high capacity, are large and heavy. Thankfully, space is plentiful in electric cars and it enables car manufacturers to position batteries at just the right place - as low as possible, under the seats where they basically become the floor. The Audi E-Tron GT sports coupe keeps its 95-kWh battery pack between the axles and thus its center of gravity is as low as possible.

That's astounding to say the least. Add to this massive wheels and 4-wheel steering of new Audi cars, and you have yourself a cornering king able to provide dynamics and sharpness of a supercar. That’s probably one of the most important selling points of cars like this - an engaging driving experience with supercar-like precision and brutality but without any of the drawback. The E-Tron is a high-speed beast that can comfortably seat four.

The Audi E-Tron Concept Can Be Charged Wirelessly

Audi's wireless charging system will be a part of the E-Tron GT production car. It is a part of the Audi E-Tron Concept. This system can recharge the battery wirelessly. However, not everything is as amazing as it sounds in the Audi PR for the E-Tron GT. See, the inductive charging works by pushing a charge into a battery with inductive coils or plates. Two of these plates have to be close for effective efficiency. Like one centimeter close. It works something like this:

You can install a 90x70 centimeter plate on your garage floor. If positioned correctly, another plate (60cm by 60cm) rises from the floor and stops a centimeter (or so) from the battery. The recharging starts.

Audi released a whole story about how the thing works, and this is a snippet from it:

"An alternating current raised to 85 kHz causes a changing magnetic field in the coil belonging to the inductive charging station," says Audi press release. "If the car's charging system's second coil is situated inside that magnetic field, a force is exerted on the charged moving particles in the vehicle's copper coil, inducing a voltage. The coil systems have optimally matching resonant frequencies."

I am sure you are wondering if this thing is fast enough? Well, earlier this year, Audi officials revealed that the 95-kWh battery (so, this one in the E-Tron), can be charged from 10 percent to 80 percent in 12 hours. A standard 240-volt socket (in Europe, mind you), will do a 100 percent charge in 10 hours (apparently). Luckily, Audi uses a recharging system developed for the Porsche Taycan as well. With the right voltage, a DC fast charger can charge 80 percent of the battery in "around 20 minutes."

The Audi E-Tron GT Has a Range of 248.5 Miles

According to the WLTP cycle (a bit stricter than the NDEC, but not as strict as the EPA), the new Audi E-Tron GT Concept will be able to cover 248.5 miles on one charge. That’s enough for the world today, I’d say.

Honestly, this number is well within the market average as almost all of the newest electric cars (including SUVs). Now, the Rivian R1T and the R1S actually offer something more alluring - a range of 400 miles on a full charge. Sure, these are massive trucks that weigh a couple pounds less than the Moon, but what I am saying is that only with the range of Rivian’s latest concept trucks, we can actually start to take electric cars a bit more seriously. Range anxiety is a massive problem. Bigger batteries can cope with it in one way or another, but, in all honesty, I think we do need a technological breakthrough of some magnitude to accept electric cars as we accept ICE powered ones.

The Audi E-Tron GT Has the Best Regenerative Braking Out There

I did write a lot about the regenerative braking Audi devised for its line of E-Tron cars. It is the most efficient system installed in cars to date. One that can produce up to 0.3 Gs in deceleration by releasing the gas pedal. There, with a hill steep enough, you can almost gain one mile worth of electricity per every mile traveled thanks to gravity alone. The other benefit is that, with it, you basically do not have to press the brakes to come to a stop or decelerate. One pedal drive is fully possible as 0.3 Gs of deceleration most certainly can be sufficient for normal driving. Only if you need more than 0.3 Gs of deceleration, the standard brakes will start to operate. In this case, I am talking about the carbon-ceramic brakes. I am sure that Audi will introduce a more conventional setup prior to the E-Tron GT's debut.

The Audi E-Tron GT Only Seats 4 People

You may be disappointed a bit, but the interior of the Audi E-Tron GT isn’t as massive as the interior of the Audi A7 for instance. Audi wanted to make a status symbol, a car everyone will turn their head after.

The seating inside holds four for now. I believe that sometime in the future the Audi E-Tron GT may even get a conventional bench back there. And there's plenty of room for belongings. Including those located at the front. Yup, the Audi E-Tron GT has a frunk. Although, with only 3.5-cubic-foot of useful capacity. It is a much better story at the back with the 15.9 cubic foot trunk.

The Audi E-Tron GT Has a Porsche Taycan Windshield

"The wheelbase, track and wheel arch openings are shared with the Porsche. But there is only one piece of design we share with Porsche. It's the windshield," says Mark Lichte, Head of Audi Design. "When we designed this car we took the car to make sure the Audi looked like an Audi and the Porsche like a Porsche, and we came together once every three months to make sure this was the case."

The Audi E-Tron GT Won't Change Much for Production

Sure, some of the more extreme features on it will change. For example, it will have smaller wheels as I have said before. Furthermore, you can’t really expect to get doors without any door handles.

"This is a metal sheet body already, and you can imagine how close it is with a metal sheet body," stated Audi's Head of Design, Marc Lichte, in a conference, as reported by Motor Authority. "We started working on the e-tron two years ago when I first saw the Taycan, and we thought about, 'what if we use this platform, and do an Audi version on top of it without sharing detail in the exterior or interior?'"

The Audi E-Tron GT's Final Design Will Be Revealed In Late 2020

Obviously, just in time for its promotional run and start of sales in 2021 as a 2022 model year. And yes, everything suggests that it will get “fishing net” floor covers, a vegan interior, and the most advanced infotainment system conceivable. As well as a top speed of 149 mph. It’s enough, isn’t it?

The Audi E-Tron GT Will Star in Avengers 4

The E-Tron GT will make an appearance in the upcoming "Avengers 4" movie. I believe as Tony Stark’s car. After all, Audi was so thrilled with The Avengers that it actually brought Robert Downey Jr. to the private media event. He unveiled the Audi E-Tron GT that night prior to the official unveiling next day.

Further Reading

Read our full review on the 2018 Audi e-Tron GT Concept.

Read our full speculative review on the 2020 Audi E-Tron GT.