2019 Audi E-tron Quattro
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Audi keeps its promise, debuts Tesla Model X fighter
The E-tron Quattro is Audi’s first-ever all-electric SUV. It was previewed by a similar concept car back in 2015 and made its debut as a production model in 2018. Developed as a competitor for the Tesla Model X, the E-tron Quattro joins Audi’s existing range of hybrid models that also use an "e-tron" badge.
Smaller than the Q7 but notably bigger than the Q5, the E-tron created its very own niche in the Audi lineup. It’s not big enough to offer full-size capability, but it’s not too cramped either. At the same time, it’s the perfect compromise for urban driving, as it’s not as difficult to park as the company’s range-topping SUV. The big question is, does it have what it takes to give the Tesla Model X a run for its money? Audi has yet to unveil all essential information, which makes predictions difficult, but we still know enough to paint a fair picture. Find out more in the review below.
Updated 10/03/2018: We’ve added all the latest, straight from the 2018 Paris Motor Show!
Latest Audi E-tron news and reviews:
Audi Has Finally Decided That It Wants to Compete Against Tesla
It looks like Audi wants to take a share from the small-electric SUV segment. This news comes just days after we heard that Volkswagen is also planning for a baby electric SUV under its I.D. line up. Audi plans to pit its product against the upcoming Tesla Model Y.With the way we’re hearing news of small SUVs being planned by automakers, it looks like electric sedans will die sooner than expected.
Audi Wants to Electrify You With Its Super Bowl LIII Commercial
For the 10th time in the history of Super Bowl commercials, Audi is joining in on the fun with a 60-second commercial that will air during the second quarter of Super Bowl LIII. The game, which is scheduled for February 3, 2019, is typically defined for the commercials that run during the game as much as the game itself. This year, Audi’s message revolves around electrification, specifically the arrivals of a number of electrified e-Tron models, including the e-Tron SUV and the e-Tron Sportback. A handful of Audi’s electric concepts — the e-Tron GT Concept and the Elaine Concept — are also expected to feature in the 60-second spot.
Audi Doubles Down for 2020; Lines Up a Compact EV SUV with the E-Tron GT
Audi announced the development and the introduction of yet another electric car - probably a compact CUV - based on the MEB platform developed for the ID range of electric cars. We will see the first glimpses of the CUV early next year. That is the time when Audi plans to reveal the concept version. I would guess at the upcoming Geneva Motor Show. The new zero-emission model will be an entry-level Audi electric car, and sizewise it will fit in between the Audi Q2 and the Audi Q3.
What’s the Audi e-Tron GT Concept like to drive?
Audi stunned crowds at the 2018 Los Angeles Auto Show when it unveiled the close-to-production e-Tron GT concept, a vehicle that previews a sporty, low-slung, all-electric sedan. Even more surprising is that it let certain journalists have a try at driving it but, since it’s not yet homologated for road use, this was done under escort by local police.
Reviewers Try Out The New All-Electric 2019 Audi e-Tron Quattro SUV
The luxury electric crossover and SUV market just got a new and serious contender, in the form of the new Audi e-Tron high-rider which was officially launched not too long ago. Journos have tried it out and, since this is an Audi we’re talking about, their first impressions of the car are a bit predictable. What we didn’t expect, however, is to hear complaints about the E-Tron Quattro’s performance.
15 Must-Know Facts About The Stunning Audi E-Tron GT
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.
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How Much is the Audi E-Tron GT Concept Going to Change as it Shifts Into Production?
We were all stunned by the looks of Audi’s E-Tron GT Concept that the German Automaker unexpectedly unveiled at the L.A. Autoshow. The electric four-door coupe is slated to become the benchmark performance model in the E-Tron range and is co-developed with Audi’s competition arm, Audi Sport. What is more, the outlandish design is set to remain vastly unchanged when the car enters production in 2020, if we are to believe Audi’s design boss, Marc Lichte.
I’m a fan of the E-Tron GT Concept, and I’m not a fan of too many new cars. That’s why I wrote in my previous pieces on the subject of this car that I hope it will remain intact - from a visual standpoint - when it hits showrooms in less than two year’s time. Now, we hear that Marc Lichte confirmed to the media at a roundtable organized during the L.A. Auto Show that most of the sheet metal we see on the concept will be carried over to the production car. You can imagine some alterations will be made, mostly in the name of safety, but that should be it.
The Audi E-Tron GT Concept’s Appearance in Avengers 4 Signals Audi’s Return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe
We’re two days away from the highly anticipated first trailer for Avengers 4, but an early surprise was revealed at the 2018 Los Angeles Auto Show: the Audi e-Tron GT Concept will star in the blockbuster movie. Audi’s involvement in the Marvel Cinematic Universe isn’t a new plot. But it’s been a while since we last saw a prominent Audi appear in any of the recent MCU films. That’s about to change when the e-Tron GT Concept shows up in what could be the biggest blockbuster of the 2019 movie calendar. If history is any indication, Audi’s future flagship electric sedan will be the ride-of-choice of Tony Stark, a.k.a. Iron Man.
2018 Audi e-Tron GT Concept
Audi is as committed as anybody to an EV future, and the unveiling of the e-Tron GT Concept at the 2018 L.A. Auto Show further illustrates the desire of the German automaker to have an EV for everyone. The e-Tron GT will be the car for those who love to go fast in a 4-door coupe body. Its stablemate, the Taycan, as well as Tesla’s Model S, are clear targets.
Recently, Federal Minister of Economic Affairs and Energy Peter Altmaier criticized German automakers for making boring-looking electric cars. "I really wonder when you, Mr. Zetsche, or you, Mr. Diess, or Mr. Krüger of BMW will be able to build an electric car that is only half as sexy as one Tesla," he said in his sharp remark. As if trying to prove the government official wrong, Audi unexpectedly showed up in L.A. with the e-Tron GT concept that’s, well, stunning from every angle. And before you start yammering about how concept cars change down the path to production, Audi says this concept shows the almost production-ready model that will hit showrooms in 2020 for the 2021 model year.
Audi wants to have a fleet of 12 electric cars by 2025, and this will be its flagship. What it is, in short, is a shorter, more aggressive, A7. It will share the platform with Porsche’s Taycan, but the two manufacturers are coy to point out the similarities between the two models. Oh, and Robert Downey Jr. wasn’t a random VIP guest at the launch of the e-Tron GT, as the car will star in the upcoming Avengers 4 movie. If the car will look this good in production guise, then all the hype Audi’s building is worth it.
The Audi E-Tron GT Concept Previews an Electrically Powerful Future
It feels as though we have only been hearing about Audi’s e-Trons lately. Audi is producing various electric cars with the e-Tron moniker, and we have to admit they are causing a scare amongst other automakers. This time at the Los Angeles Auto Show, the German manufacturer has unveiled the Audi e-tron Concept GT - A future fighter that will go against the Tesla Model S.
According to Audi, the E-Tron GT Can Charge for 20 Minutes and Go Almost 200 Miles.
Audi has aimed its guns squarely at the Tesla Model S with its close-to-production e-Tron GT concept that it just unveiled at the 2018 LA Auto Show. It’s a very striking four-door coupe with very bold flanks and a pleasant old school vintage coke bottle shape when viewed from the side. It can also take an 80-percent charge (about 200-miles worth of electricity) in no more than 20 minutes. Take that, Tesla.
Don’t Expect the 2020 Audi E-Tron GT, or any other Audi EV, to Ditch the Massive Grille
Audi showed off the brand-new E-Tron GT Conceptat the L.A. Auto Show and, well, it’s a good looking car. For starters, it’s a well-balanced four-door luxury sports sedan, and I rarely let those words come out when talking about modern cars. It’s got those massive hips towards the back and an aggressive front end that features the oversized Audi grille. If you still don’t like it, you’re not going to agree with the looks of any upcoming Audis, electric or not, since the German manufacturer is keeping it.
The E-Tron GT Concept previews the third model in Audi’s EV lineup that also consists of the E-Tron, that hopes to topple the I-Pace and Mercedes’ EQC, and the E-Tron Sportback that’s slated for a 2019 release. The GT Concept will be here in production form by 2020, and it is positioned as the flagship model of the EV range. It’s roughly as big as an A7 and, if they keep those proportions intact, it will be quite a head-turner because it takes whatever was good about the A7 and A5 Sedan and turns the dial to 11 - including the unmistakable single-frame grille.
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The Audi E-Tron GT Is a Firm Model S Competitor; Can Deliver Repeat Acceleration
For now, the Tesla Model S lords over at the all-electric performance sedan segment. That could change, though, once the Porsche Taycan and Fisker eMotion hit the scene. But another would-be contender made its presence known at the 2018 Los Angeles Auto Show. Don’t look now, but Audi wants a piece of that pie from Tesla, and its contender-of-choice is the all-electric e-Tron GT. Audi’s fresh offering actually shares its roots with the aforementioned Taycan, which isn’t surprising because the two are, technically, cousins in this endeavor. The e-Tron GT, though, stands out because Audi didn’t mince its intentions in the sedan’s build. The e-Tron GT was built for performance, and the numbers back it up.
Here’s the Audi E-Tron GT in Typical Audi Camo
Have you grown tired of Audi’s black, white and red camouflage seen on recent prototypes and production-ready cars? Well, it seems the German firm still finds the livery interesting and just slapped it on the e-tron GT ahead of its big unveiling at the 2018 Los Angeles Auto Show.
7 Electric SUVs And What They Bring to the Table
With the short, but obvious invasion of electric SUVs on the market, I am quite interested in what all of those machines bring. Many of the major manufacturers invested heavily in introducing a new generation of electric SUVs with Mercedes, Audi, Jaguar, and BMW coming long after Tesla actually sparked the creation of the entire segment with the Model X.
Now, with a number of electric SUVs on the market one would expect some radically different thinking behind a seemingly similar car, but that may not be the case. Aside from five expensive electric SUVs (the I-Pace, the Model X, the EQ C, the E-Tron and theiX3 Concept), the only ones that were brave enough to give the market an electric shock are Hyundai and Kia with the Kona Electric and the Niro EV. So, learn here what all of them bring to the table and how do they differ.
10 Best Vehicle and Technology Innovations of 2018
The car industry never sleeps (except in August) and every year it provides us with numerous solutions to new problems, and with innovations that make us want new cars even more. This is a rundown of 10 awesome vehicle and technology innovations for 2018.
Audi Should Start Delivering the E-Tron GT in 2020
Earlier this year, Audi announced its plan to build a four-door performance electric car. This was when the automaker teased the E-Tron GT. With the E-Tron revealed already, it looks like the GT version will be equally impressive. Although nothing concrete was provided back then, we now have a few details.
Watch Out Tesla Model S - The Audi E-tron GT Will be All About Power
The Audi E-tron GT is coming, and it will, by all accounts, be epic. Ever since Tesla made such glorious strides in the electric car fandom, the car world has been waiting for the rest of the big automakers to catch up. With the introduction of numerous expensive electric SUVs in the past couple of years, the car community as a whole gained the much needed electric car boost. But a true Tesla Model S competitor was still nowhere to be found. Until now. The Audi E-tron GT will be its competitor. And I am not the only one to say it. Siegfried Pint, Head of Development for Electric Drive at Audi, said that the new car is “steered towards performance.”
Audi Claims That The New E-Tron With All-Electric Quattro Will Offer Impressive Driving Drynamics
Audi’s first-ever all-electric SUV, the E-tron, will soon be launched on the market and the automaker is gradually revealing the capabilities of the silent beast. Audi promises to offer the E-tron with internal combustion-like impressive dynamics, but zero-emissions. Can it convince the customers?
Audi Reveals E-Tron FE05, Preps for Upcoming Formula E Season
2019 Audi E-tron Quattro
The E-tron Quattro is Audi’s first-ever all-electric SUV. It was previewed by a similar concept car back in 2015 and made its debut as a production model in 2018. Developed as a competitor for the Tesla Model X, the E-tron Quattro joins Audi’s existing range of hybrid models that also use an "e-tron" badge.
Smaller than the Q7 but notably bigger than the Q5, the E-tron created its very own niche in the Audi lineup. It’s not big enough to offer full-size capability, but it’s not too cramped either. At the same time, it’s the perfect compromise for urban driving, as it’s not as difficult to park as the company’s range-topping SUV. The big question is, does it have what it takes to give the Tesla Model X a run for its money? Audi has yet to unveil all essential information, which makes predictions difficult, but we still know enough to paint a fair picture. Find out more in the review below.
Updated 10/03/2018: We’ve added all the latest, straight from the 2018 Paris Motor Show!
The 2020 Audi E-Tron GT Will Charge Twice as Fast as the 2019 E-Tron Quattro
Audi is leaving no stone unturned to make the E-Tron siblings true all-rounders. The latest USP of the E-Tron GT is that it will be the first all-electric vehicle from the Audi stable to support 350-kW charging. This will enable the SUV to charge to 80-percent in less than 12 minutes! Yes, you read it right. This is twice as fast as the E-Tron Quattro.
2020 Audi E-Tron GT
Announced at Audi’s Annual Press Conference in Ingolstadt earlier this year, the Audi E-Tron GT is a new all-electric four-door coupé destined to hit the market in 2020. Offered as part of the Audi electric onslaught in which the Ingolstadt-based company will reveal 20 new electric models by 2025, the Audi E-Tron GT will sit at the top of the Audi Sport division, and will be responsible for constructing an all-new character trait for Audi’s line of Sport vehicles. With models such as the Audi A5 Sportback and Audi A7, the company obviously has some proper knowledge of the four-door coupé design. The E-Tron GT will act as a flagship for this intriguing car segment.
Given the E-Tron GT will take technology, design features, cabin specs, and possibly drivetrain hardware from other E-Tron vehicles, we already know a thing or two about the new car. Marketed to fight against the likes of the Tesla Model S and similar entries from other manufacturers, the Audi E-Tron GT could be even more impressive than the recently introduced E-Tron Quattro SUV.
Audi’s Tesla Model S Fighter, the E-Tron GT Will Debut at the L.A. Auto Show
15 Incredible Facts You Have To Know About The New 2019 Audi E-Tron Electric SUV
At its Charged Event in Northern California, Audi revealed its first all-electric SUV - the 2020 Audi E-Tron. As the newest electric vehicle on the market, the Audi E-Tron brought a wealth of new equipment, and some of it is truly cutting edge. Among the latest invasion of electric SUVs (the EQ C, the I-Pace, the iX3), the Audi E-Tron, despite its conservative appearance, surprisingly seems to be the most advanced of the lot. I will list here 15 facts and features that make the newest Audi electric SUV the most advanced, and possibly the most appealing, electric SUV on the market.
Audi has just unveiled its first full-electric offering, the e-tron SUV. To go with that debut, the brand also announced plans to have no fewer than 12 EVs in its range by the year 2025. These models will apparently range in size from compact to full-size, and there’s a good chance most will be high-riding vehicles - the brand’s SUV- and crossover-centric approach is clear based solely on the first all-electric model they chose to launch.
The 2019 Audi E-Tron SUV Debuts With a $75,000 Price Tag, Max Towing Capacity of 4,000 Pounds
The E-Tron has been teasing us for as long as we can remember. In fact, the SUV was being used in comparisons before we even had any concrete details about it. After spotting it in camouflage all this while, the automaker has finally decided to showcase it to the public, and the car is unmistakably an Audi. Now, has the E-Tron lived up to the expectations and the hype?
Audi E-Tron Has The Most Amazing Energy Recuperation System In The World
We have been waiting for Audi to reveal the new e-Tron Quattro for what seems like a millennium. Audi finally set a date - September 17 - when they will show us an all-electric Audi created to take on the rest of the expensive electric SUVs available on the market. In short, I am talking about the Tesla Model X and the Jaguar I-Pace. With the announcement of the reveal date, Audi also revealed additional information about their new car confirming it will be fast, advanced, and quite efficient.
The Audi e-Tron Offers Less Than 250 Miles of Range; Six-Second Sprint to 60 MPH
Audi has finally released technical information for the E-Tron electric SUV, and there are plenty of juicy bits to parse through. Chief among these details is the e-Tron’s power output, which is rated at 355 horsepower and 414 pound-feet of torque, all of which comes from a pair of electric motors. The power output of the e-Tron is just one of many new details Audi released about the electric SUV. Apparently, it also has short-term boost capability, a feature that unlocks the e-Tron’s full power figures — 402 horsepower and 490 pound-feet of torque — albeit for just eight seconds at a time.
The Virtual Mirrors on the Audi E-Tron are Futuristically Cool
The Audi E-Tron may be the first Audi to feature all-electric capabilities, but it’s also the first production Audi model to feature cameras in place of traditional side mirrors. The technology is called the Audi Virtual Mirror, and it is obnoxiously cool. The setup involves a pair of small cameras sitting in the place where the mirrors should be. The camera then feed visual signal to two small touch-screen display units near the door handles, both of which can be configured in a variety of ways.
Not only are the optics of it cool, it also represents a new way of using cameras on vehicles that have largely been disallowed among road cars for various reasons. More importantly, the aerodynamic benefits of using virtual mirrors will also help Audi improve the E-Tron’s coefficient of drag, in large part because the size of these cameras will allow Audi to design thinner casings to store them in. The days of large clunky casings appear to be over in what can only be described as a classic case of reinventing the wheel to accommodate the rise of modern technology. The Audi Virtual Mirrors look awesome and if it ends up on the production version of the E-Tron, expect it to find its way into other future Audi models sooner than later.
Unfortunately, the arrest of Audi CEO Rupert Stadler scuttled plans to have the electric crossover debut at the Audi Summit in Brussels, Belgium on August 30. Hopefully, the delay doesn’t take too long because we can’t wait to see the Virtual Mirror in action on an actual production model.
Audi to Offer the E-Tron Quattro With Sideview Cameras in Markets that Allow It
As the Audi e-Tron all-electric SUV is moving closer to production, the German automaker is releasing new details about the battery-powered hauler. And although it looks almost like a conventional Q7 on the outside, the e-Tron is significantly different when it comes to aerodynamics. The e-Tron not only has the lowest drag coefficient of any Audi SUV, but it will also become the first production vehicle to feature cameras instead of mirrors.
The New Audi E-Tron SUV Will Shed its Camo at the Audi Summit on August 30th
The Audi E-Tron SUV hasn’t even gone into production yet, and it already has a pretty long history. It started life as the Audi E-Tron Quattro concept, and since then Audi has been pushing the E-Tron Prototype – even going so far as trying to generate social media attention while it was roaming the streets during the Geneva Motor Show. More recently, Audi announced that it would be priced at double that of the Q7, or $99,000. Be that as it may, and despite the fact that we’ve pretty much seen the whole design, Audi will pull the camo off on August 30th at the Audi Summit in the Brussels.
2018 Audi e-tron Vision Gran Turismo
Launched in 2013, the Vision Gran Turismo program gave mainstream automakers to develop wild concept cars for the Gran Turismo 6 and Gran Turismo Sport video games. No fewer than 26 virtual vehicles were created by more than 20 carmakers until 2018, with the likes of Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Aston Martin, Toyota, Chevrolet, Lexus, and Bugatti having joined the ranks. Come 2018 and Audi launched its first concept car for the Gran Turismo Sport video game. But unlike the competition, the Audi e-Tron Vision Gran Turismo is a fully functional vehicle.
While most Vision Gran Turismo concepts were developed exclusively for the pixelated world of Gran Turismo, some were built as full-scale models, and only a small fraction had an actual drivetrain. But none of them were able to function as actual race cars outside the video game. Audi is the first to deploy its Vision Gran Turismo car to real-world racetracks, as the fully-electric vehicle will be used as a taxi during Formula E events.
One of the first manufacturers to enter Formula E with a factory-backed team, Audi is now the first carmaker to offer its customers and guests the opportunity to experience Formula E’s city circuits as passengers in the e-Tron Vision Gran Turismo. This will happen starting April 14, when Formula E goes to Rome, Italy, for the seventh race of the 2017-2018 season. There’s no specific information as to how you can sign up for a ride, but a Vision Gran Turismo concept that actually works in the real world is a might big accomplishment.
Continue reading to learn more about the Audi e-Tron Vision Gran Turismo.
Audi turned the E-Tron Vision Gran Turismo Concept into a real-life, drivable track car and this lucky fella gets to take it around a track. We should all be so lucky. The real question is whether or not you’ll ever be able to get used to hearing a car make the noise this thing does...
Audi Thinks The E-Tron Quattro is Worth Double that of a Q7; Sets Pricing at $99,000
Audi has finally released the price tag for the e-Tron Quattro, and it’s a doozy. In the German market, the electric SUV will start at €80,000, or just a tick under $100,000 based on current exchange rates. Pricing and availability in other markets will be announced at a later date. There you have it, folks. If you want to get your hands on an e-Tron Quattro, you’re going to have to break the bank.
Audi Teases an E-Tron GT That Could Battle the AMG GT 4-Door and 8-Series Gran Coupe on Electricity Alone
Audi’s EV offensive revolves around the e-Tron line. The E-Tron Quattro will come first with the production version of the E-Tron Sportback Concept being a potential second EV model. All that may have changed, however, as Audi has just teased what it is calling the E-Tron GT, a four-door, coupe-like tourer that will run on electricity alone and have looks powerful enough to make the Mercedes-AMG GT 4-Door and the BMW 8 Series Gran Coupe run away screaming. And, for what it’s worth, we’re saying that after only seeing about one-third of the vehicle through teaser-darkened eyes.
Will Audi have an all-electric, E-Tron tourer that can actually lay waste to gasoline-powered models in the same segment? Well, this prototype is scheduled to debut in the early 2020s, so it certainly looks that way, doesn’t it?
The Audi E-Tron Prototype is the Not-so-Cool Successor to the E-Tron Quattro Concept
The Audi e-Tron SUV Prototype has shown up at the Geneva Motor Show with a layering of “special” camo and the desire to prove its worth as it prepares to engage in a dramatic, real-world testing phase that will cover four continents and a wide range of traffic conditions and weather patterns. There is no word of performance specifications, but those will undoubtedly come to light once all 250 working prototypes complete their 3.1 million mile conquest.
The New Audi E-Tron Prototype is Roaming around Geneva Right Now!
Audi is presenting its new e-Tron Prototype (yes, another SUV) at the Geneva Motor Show. This prototype, however, is functional and even roaming the streets of Geneva between 4:30 pm and 6:30 pm local time today, March 5, and tomorrow, March 6. Audi’s latest campaign brings the prototype to the streets, and Audi even says it’ll let you take a seat inside to learn more about it. If you happen to see it roaming the streets, Snap a picture and share it on social media with the #etron hashtag and Audi may just display it on their dedicated homepage: e-Tron.audi.
2017 Audi e-tron Sportback Concept
Audi takes every chance it gets to remind us of its intentions to bring a whole range of electric vehicles that will, given enough time, eventually replace its entire lineup of gasoline and diesel-drinking models. The most recent model includes the Audi e-tron Quattro concept, an SUV slated for production in 2018. But, Audi is also one of those brands that likes to blur the line between car and SUV, so it has come up with another concept called the e-tron Sportback Concept – basically another interpretation of the Quattro concept with a lower roof, slanted rear, and a few other unique styling cues. It even uses the same electric drivetrain as it’s taller-sitting brethren, which means it gets a 96-kWh battery pack, three electric motors, and an estimated range of about 310 miles. A fast-charging system could offer up as much as 248 miles with as little as 30 minutes of DC charging. And, you’ll probably be able to buy one by the turn of the decade, as Audi as said it will be introduced in production form shortly after the e-tron Quattro for the 2019 model year.
So, if you haven’t come to terms with the fact that electric cars are on their way up, you better get used to it. With more than 300 miles to a charge, up to 496 horsepower on demand, and the ability to charge extremely quickly, Tesla isn’t the only heavy-hitter on the block anymore. The technology is finally there to ease range anxiety, and Audi is planning to capitalize on this early in the game. But, for now, this little “coupish-SUV” is just a concept. It’s a strong preview of a production model, so let’s take a good look at it and see what the future holds in store for us.
Audi’s First Production Series EV to be called the "E-Tron"
German automaker Audi has confirmed that its future series production electric cars will use the name "e-tron." The news comes straight from Audi chairman Rupert Stadler, who added that the moniker will be carried without any specific model designation.
"It is comparable to the first Audi quattro, which was known simply as the quattro," Stadler said according to Autocar, adding that "in the long term the name e-tron will stand for a pure electric driveline structure."
On the other hand, he said that regular models will continue to use the e-tron name. Audi currently offers e-tron versions of the Q7 SUV and A3 Sportback five-door, but these have hybrid drivetrains that combine conventional engines and electric motors. As you may recall, the German brand pulled the plug on the R8 e-tron, the only e-tron with a pure electric drivetrain, after less than two years on the market and less than 100 units built.
Stadler confirmed once again that the first vehicle to wear the "e-tron" badge will be an SUV based on the e-tron quattro concept that was showcased at the 2015 Frankfurt Motor Show. The battery-powered people hauler will be followed by a small hatchback and a sedan by the end of the 2020.
At the same time, he said that Audi is working on a premium electric sedan aimed at the Tesla Model S: "I do believe that it makes sense for the Audi brand to be positioned in the top premium segment with this drivelinetechnology." Although a name has yet to be confirmed, it could be called the A8 e-tron.
Continue reading for the full story.
Audi has teased the idea of an electric version of its R8 supercar on more than one occasion. First we had the e-tron concept at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 2009, which then made a debut at the 2010 Detroit Auto Show. Audi even went as far as to put its creation around the Nürburgring for a record-setting 8:09.099 minute lap time. Now, finally, it looks like the R8 e-tron is set to make it to showrooms worldwide.
The big news comes straight from the 2015 Geneva Motor Show, where Audi showcased an all-electric supercar alongside the redesigned, second-generation R8. At first glance, the e-tron model is an R8 with the stock V-10 drivetrain swapped out for a pair of electric motors and their associated batteries, but this German-built EV with supercar credentials is more than that. And with zero emissions emanating from a non-existent tailpipe, the R8 e-tron represents a big step forward for green racing tech.
As expected, the R8 e-tron is one of the quickest EVs out there. What’s surprising though is that it can perform extremely well in the range department. How well, you may ask? Let’s say that the Tesla Model S needs a small range update next time Elon Musk rolls out a new upgrade. But you’re going to have to check out the review below for more info on that.
Updated 10/27/2015: While Audi already dropped official details on the R8 E-tron, this is the first time the new car was caught in action at the Nurbrugring race track. You have to admit that its blue exterior color looks stunning, and that orange light around the “sideblades” is also a nice detail.
Continue reading to learn more about the Audi R8 E-Tron.
Audi’s E-Tron moniker has a brand new member. Meet the E-Tron Quattro Concept. This all-electric SUV is the spiritual brother to the 2010 Audi E-Tron concept that debuted in 2010, and combined the latest technologies that make all-electric vehicles more of a consumer good than science project.
Of course automakers like Tesla and Nissan already have fully electric vehicles on the market. In fact, Tesla’s upcoming 2016 Tesla Model X will be a hardy rival to Audi’s E-Tron Quattro. However, the Model X will likely arrive before the E-Tron Quattro, which Audi promises in “early 2018.”
Rivalry aside, this concept is a solid look into what the future holds for Audi, both in terms of design and electronics. The sculpted exterior has hints of Audi’s current design themes with a generous portion of new flair sprinkled in. Powertrain wise, the E-Tron Quattro packs three electric motors – one up front and two in back – to move the low-slung SUV to 62 mph in a projected 4.6 seconds and onto a governed top speed of 130.5 mph.
Besides offering surprising performance, the E-Tron Quattro is filled to the brim with futuristic tech, including its charging system. There is a Combined Charging System that handles DC and AC current, a wireless induction system, and a solar panel system built onto the roof. If you’re lucky enough to find a 150-kW DC fast charger, the Audi’s battery pack can be recharged in roughly 50 minutes.
These details only scratch the surface, so keep reading for all the futuristic tech.
Updated 09/21/2015: We’ve added a series of new images we took at the 2015 Frankfurt Motor Show. Find the new images in the "Pictures" tab.
Continue reading for my full review of the E-Tron Quattro Concept.
After eight-years and countless road and race variants, it’s looking like we’ll be seeing an all-new Audi R8 at the 2015 Geneva Motor Show in March, and a fully-electric E-tron version will debut at the same time. That’s the word from our friends over at Car Advice, who recently spoke with Audi board member for technical development, Ulrich Hackenberg.
You might remember that an E-tron based on the first generation was all but a certainty for production after it debuted at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show, but after that, everything went silent. Now we know it was because the car’s range was not up to Hackenberg’s standards. He now promises a 400-plus mile range for the new R8-based E-tron.
“First I did agree to stop such a project,” said Hackenberg to Car Advice about the 2009 E-tron concept. “The project had to be re-engineered because the range was 220 km (136 miles) – it was not enough. So what I made with the team was to continue to work on this, and we could realize between 400 (248 miles) and 500 (310 miles).”
For now, Hackenburg sees low-volume supercars as the best application for electric power, and explains that the R8 platform would be used as “a carrier for technologies.” He also expressed his desire to see some form of electrification in every future Audi, starting with the recently unveiled new Q7 and the next R8 and A8.
Hackenburg was tip-lipped about specifics for the next internal-combustion R8, but did have some bad news for fans of manual gearboxes, announcing it will only be available with a dual-clutch transmission and no manual option. He went on to explain that if it’s personal lap times you’re after, DSGs will beat manuals every time.
Click past the jump to read more about the next Audi R8 and R8 E-tron.
Even though Audi was until recently a bit behind both BMW and Mercedes-Benz in terms of plug-in hybrids and road-going electric cars, the Ingolstadt manufacturer is now on the rebound. To make up for lost ground, Audi plans to roll-out a new plug-in hybrid model every year, albeit it oddly doesn’t mention the exact time period for the whole shebang. Apart from the e-tron-branded vehicles, the Audi is also working on purely electric cars to launch in the near future, confirming the recent rumor about an all-electric sports car and a crossover SUV running on nothing but batteries.
The above information was revealed at CES 2015, where strangely enough not a single plug-in hybrid or electric Audi concept car was in attendance, with the carmaker instead plugging its autonomous driving technology. Apart from developing an entire range of plug-in hybrid or fully-electric cars in the near future, Audi is also working hard to improve contactless charging for the aforementioned types of vehicles, with the greatest effort being placed into induction-based energy, something the German car manufacturer calls Audi Wireless Charging (AWC).
As the first plug-in hybrid vehicle from Audi was successfully-launched in 2014 in the shape of the A3 e-Tron model, the next road-going car using similar technology will apparently be part of the medium segment, although the carmaker declined to go into specifics. If I were to guess, Audi is probably talking about a plug-in hybrid 2016 Q7 to go on sale in 2015, even though I fail to see how that beast of an SUV could be ever considered as part of the "medium segment."
Click past the jump to read more about Audi’s future Plug-In Hybrid E-Tron models.
This just in from the Le Mans track: one of the three Audi R18 e-tron quattro race cars race cars set to start in this year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans event got blown to smithereens in a crash that occurred during practice.
The No. 1 R18 e-tron quattro had Loic Duval at its helm when it went airborne and slammed into a concrete wall with its rear end, Jalopnik reports. Although the hybrid vehicle sustained massive damage, Duval is conscious and talking, with no signs of severe injuries.
The Frenchman is, however, under intense medical observation in a nearby hospital. Judging by the way the car looks after the massive crash, Loic is one lucky fellow, but we have a hunch FIA’s demanding safety regulations and Audi’s adherence to them when designing the R18 played a key role in avoiding a tragedy.
Getting back to the wreckage, the footage reveals that likely nothing can be salvaged from the No. 1 car. Losing the chassis is terrible news for Audi, which now has to decide whether to bring a replacement unit and face a penalty or use only two cars in the big race.
The No. 1 Audi R18 e-tron quattro is supposed to lap the Circuit de la Sarthe with Loic Duval, Lucas di Grassi and Tom Kristinsen behind the wheel. The remaining cars will be driven by Marcel Fassler, Andre Lotterer, Benoit Treluyer, Filipe Albuqurque, Marco Bonanomi and Oliver Jarvis.
Click past the jump to read more and watch footage from the scene.
As with most iterations of the Audi R18 race car, this year’s e-tron quattro machine has just received a number of updates ahead of the 24 Hours of Le Mans. The endurance event is scheduled to take place in mid-June in France.
Unlike the version used throughout the 2014 World Endurance Championship, the Le Mans racer’s body has been optimized for minimal aerodynamic drag, an essential property on Circuit de la Sarthe — an unusual track that consists of several long straights and high-speed turns.
The Le Mans body might not differ much at a first glance, but a closer look reveals the Germans have altered the fenders, which now have opening on the inside instead of at the top, and elongated the body at the rear, with the wing no longer hanging above the diffuser. Lastly, the exhaust configuration has also been changed and the tail pipes are now located above the diffuser, instead of exiting to the right and left of the huge central fin.
Through these updates, the R18 e-tron quattro will be capable of higher speeds, and aim for faster laps and average race speed. Last year, factory driver Andre Lotterer achieved an average speed of 150.37 mph on his fastest lap.
Audi will field three teams in this year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans race with the goal of winning its fifth consecutive even and the 12th title since 2000.
The powertrain of the R18 e-tron quattro in Le Mans configuration remains unchanged, with a revised, V-6, diesel engine motivating the rear wheels and with an e-tron quattro hybrid system spinning the front axle.
Click past the jump to read more about the Audi R18 e-tron quattro Le Mans.
We are witnessing the evolution of the electric car. With the world’s biggest players having entered the market, we could expect development in this field to happen at a brisk pace. BMW already has its i Series in place and Mercedes-Benz is still pondering over the SLS AMG Electric Drive. Audi, on the other hand, shocked the world when it announced the scrapping of the R8 e-tron.
As we speak, folks at Audi are reconsidering the decisions they made in axing the R8 e-tron program. Yes, Audi is currently looking at options to put the R8 e-tron in to limited production by the end of 2014. The Audi R8 e-tron was the latest zero-emissions concept coming out of the Ingolstadt factory and now a select few among us could even own one. In order to facilitate the production of the new two-seat electric sports car, Audi has made a number changes to its research and engineering divisions, spending lots of money in the process.
Such an investment could only mean, positive steps have been taken in order to make the R8 e-tron a reality. Being a Volkswagen Group entity, Audi also benefits from research and development being done by its sister company for the VW e-Up, e-Golf and the XL1 hyper-mileage car.
It’s pretty crazy how quickly things can change in the automotive world...
Click past the jump to read more about the Audi R8 e-tron
Audi’s dominance of endurance racing has become the stuff of legend and just when it appeared that the company had earned a slack off in preparations, think again.
The 2014 R-18 e-tron quattro LMP1 racer will make you believe otherwise.
Fresh off of another dominant showing at the 2013 World Endurance Championship, Audi is taking to heart the saying "the early bird gets the worm" with the early development of the R18 e-tron quattro LMP1 race car. Testing is set to begin this week with particular emphasis being put on achieving high fuel efficiency, using its sophisticated hybrid drive systems.
That’s the kind of thing you’d expect from a champion that wants to win more and not sit on its laurels and bask in all the glory it has earned.
As for the car itself, the 2014 R18 e-tron quattro LMP1 racer is expected to feature a flywheel-based, electric-drive system paired with a powerful TDI engine. Exact specifications have yet to be revealed, but preparations are already underway to build a race car that can take advantage of the company’s expertise in endurance racing, while also fitting in new rules in the WEC with particular focus being paid to efficiency, and the use of advanced fuel-saving technology, like hybrid drive systems and diesel engines, to ensure that the race car is more than just competitive, but one that can live up to Audi’s sustained excellence in endurance racing.
Judging by its looks, the race car retains all the shapes and lines of the current R-18 e-tron quattro that the company used to win the 2013 WEC title. The full-blown, cockpit-style look is going to be kept, as are those vertical LED lights, the swooping flat nose, the enormous rear wing, and those bulging wheel arches that helps in keeping the race car low to the ground.
With Porsche, Toyota, and a host of other brands determined to push Audi off of its pedestal, the company is preparing a revised version of the R18 to ensure that things of those sort never happen.
Updated 03/26/2014: The new Audi R18 e-tron quattro made its first miles during the 2014 WEC season, not on the legendary race track in Western France but in public traffic. And these new cool pictures come to prove it. Enjoy!
Click past the jump to read about the 2014 Audi R18 e-tron quattro’s predecessor
Last year, the Audi R18 e-tron quattro was the overall and LMP1 class winner at the Le Mans 24 Hours race. This year, history repeats itself, as the R18 e-tron was once again the winner at the famous race. This was the twelfth Audi victory at Le Mans.
Audi entered the race with three Audi R18 e-tron quattro cars and the win was achieved by the No. 2 car, which was driven by Loïc Duval (France), Tom Kristensen (Denmark) and Allan McNish (Scotland).
The win was even more impressive if you consider that the R18 e-tron cars were able to do two laps less on one tank filling than their main rival Toyota. So the R18 cars had to compensate for the additional pit stops by faster lap times on track
This year’s race was extremely difficult because of the extremely difficult weather conditions. There was also a fatal crash in the GT class shortly after the race started that took the life of Allan Simonsen.
Click past the jump to read more about the Audi R18 e-tron quattro.
Audi is preparing to make a big step into the electrification of its lineup with the unveiling of its brand-new A3 e-tron. The model was unveiled at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show and will be put on sale in early 2014.
In case you have taken a little vacation under a rock for the last few years, Audi has been tossing around the e-tron designation since 2009. At the 2009 Frankfurt Auto Show, Audi unveiled the first e-tron concept in the form of the 308-horsepower 2010 R8 e-tron.
Audi again dropped an e-tron concept in 2010 at the Detroit Auto Show with the A4-based concept that was rumored to see life in 2014. In concept guise, this model pumped out 201 horsepower and hit 60 mph in 5.9 seconds. This model, codenamed the 9X1, is supposedly under development and will hit production in 2014.
The e-tron line carried on with the A1 e-tron at the 2010 Geneva Auto Show, which produced 101 horsepower. Then, at the 2010 Paris Motor Show, the 2011 e-tron Spyder stopped the show with its 296-horsepower, 3.0-liter V-6 TDI engine and 86-horsepower electric motors that sprinted the convertible to 60 mph in 4.4 seconds.
At the 2013 Geneva Motor Show, Audi finally unveiled the first production e-tron model, in the form of the 2013 A3 Sportback e-tron.
Click past the jump to read more about the Audi A3 e-tron.
In the previous movie, Iron Man drove a standard Audi R8 sports car, but for the third installment of the series, Iron Man will be switching to the E-tron version. In fact, he will be among only a few in the world who have had the opportunity to actually enjoy theR8 E-tron, as Audi decided not to offer a production version.
The new commercial for the Iron Man 3 shows the electric supercar in action, and as we can see from the video, is a shame a production version will not follow.
The R8 E-tron is powered by four electric motors with a total output of 313 horsepower. It can go from 0 to 60 mph in just 4.8 seconds, so bad guys won’t have a chance to outrun the Iron Man.
Iron Man 3 will be released on theaters on April 24.
Back in May, we announced that Audi was eliminating the traditional rearview mirror from its R18 Le Mans cars, due to its lack of rearward-facing glass. We also made it clear that a lot of additions to new cars come from successful experiences in the racing world. Well, the R18s ended up garnering a 1-2-3 finish in that race.
As expected, with success comes commercialization, and Audi has announced that its upcoming R8 e-tron will boast this digital mirror technology. This system will consist of a 7.7-inch AMOLED screen mounted in the traditional mirror’s spot. The “mirror” uses a rear-mounted camera to send a video feed, giving the driver a slightly wider field of vision than the average rearview mirror.
Here’s the issue though, the NHTSA’s law book still requires a mirror made from reflective glass to be mounted to all passenger cars. The law specifically states “Each passenger car shall have an inside rearview mirror of unit magnification” and it defines a “unit magnification” as “a plane or flat mirror with a reflective surface through which the angular height and width of the image of an object is equal to the angular height and width of the object when viewed directly at the same distance except for flaws that do not exceed normal manufacturing tolerances. For the purposes of this regulation a prismatic day-night adjustment rearview mirror one of whose positions provides unit magnification is considered a unit magnification mirror. ”
The issue is in the verbiage is that the phrase “ a plane or flat mirror with a reflective surface...” eliminates an LED screen, as it is not a reflective surface. Now, the law becomes nullified is the car comes with side-view mirrors that have 49 square-inches of reflective surface and offer a complete view of the rear end of the vehicle. Those mirrors would be huge for this supercar, so we doubt that exemption will be valid.
We’ll have to see exactly how Audi plans to get around this, or if the NHTSA makes adjustments to its laws.
Click past the jump to read Audi’s press release.
Even though the Audi R8 e-tron hasn’t officially been launched yet, it is already a world record breaker. With a lap time of 8:09.099 minutes, the R8 e-tron has just become the fastest production vehicle with an electric drive system around the Nurburgring. The car was driven to success by racing driver Markus Winkelhock.
The R8 e-tron is powered by electric motors that deliver an output of 375 HP and a peak torque of 604 lbs-ft. The electric car will sprint from 0 to 60 mph in 4.6 seconds and hit a top speed of 124 mph (electronically limited). To achieve the record-setting lap, the electronic speed limiter was removed so that the top speed could go up to 155 mph.
"The R8 e-tron has given a magnificent demonstration of its potential on the toughest race track in the world," said Michael Dick, Audi AG Board Member for Technical Development. Dick, who completed a fast lap himself in the R8 e-tron, added: "The record-setting drive confirmed that we are on the right track. To us, electric mobility has never been about sacrifice, but rather is about emotion, sportiness and driving pleasure."
The Audi R8 e-tron will grace the market with its presence by the end of 2012.
Despite the various high-speed crashes which took place at the recent 2012 24 Hours of Le Mans, Audi managed to come out on top for the 11th time in 13 years. With both Toyota LMP1 cars crashing out in the early stages of the race, one could argue that Audi was destined all along to take victory.
However, one could never have imagined that Audi managed to wrap up all three podium places with its incredible R18 race cars, two of which are e-tron Quattro-diesel-hybrids while the other two who finished in 3rd and 5th were the more conventional R18 Ultra diesel-powered racers.
Driving the victorious Audi R18 e-tron was Marcel Fässler, André Lotterer, and Benoît Tréluyer. This victory marks a historic day in Le Mans history as the victorious car is the first diesel-hybrid to ever sit upon the top step of the podium and could help pave the way for more fuel-efficient LMP1 racers.
Audi board member Rupert Stadler stated, "By achieving this further success at the world’s most important endurance race our engineers demonstrated their high technological expertise in a particularly impressive way. With the e-tron Quattro in combination with ultra-lightweight design, we put a completely new technology on the grid and immediately won with it – this cannot be taken for granted by any means, particularly here at Le Mans."
It’s inevitable that Audi has already turned its attention to next year’s 24 Hours of Le Mans, where we expect to see even more hybrid-diesels contesting.
Audi doesn’t mind pushing the envelope a little further than most people would and has proven that with the release of a new Le Mans race car. The racer is called the R18 e-Tron hybrid quattro, a four-wheel driven diesel hybrid race car that’s set to compete at the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans in France on June 16 and 17, 2012.
Working under the same principles as that of the Porsche 911 GT3 R Hybrid, the R18 e-Tron hybrid quattro uses kinetic energy that’s recovered whenever the car brakes, storing that energy in the flywheel accumulator as electricity before being sent back to the electric motors on the front wheels. The motors take car of the front of the vehicle, while the rear wheels get their power from the car’s 510-horsepower V6 TDI engine. The only difference between the aforementioned Porsche and the R18 e-Tron hybrid quattro is that the latter is considered a mild hybrid, using a petrol engine along with electricity.
Since the car uses a heavy hybrid system, Audi went and designed the race car’s gearbox using carbon fiber composite housing, alleviating some of the weight brought about by the complicated drivetrain.
Before it struts its wares in Le Mans, the car will be put through the paces on May 5th at the 6-hour race at Spa-Francorchamps in Belgium where it will be raced by Allan McNish, Dindo Capello Tom Kristensen and Benoît Tréluyer, André Lotterer and Marcel Fässler.
UPDATE 06/07/2012: Audi has unveiled a cool promo video for their brand new R18 e-Tron that will compete at the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans race on Saturday, June 16th-17th 2012. The video presents Audi’s racing evolution, going from turbocharged direct injection (TFSI) up to turbo diesel (TDI) engines and the new e-tron.
Audi has been experimenting with the electric-car market for a few years and officially unveiled plans for the A1 e-tron and an electric-powered A2 recently. It does not look like either one is going to happen any time soon, according to a report from Car.
The A2 electric was slated to be released in Europe, where high-efficiency diesel and gasoline engines that get upwards of 60 mpg reign supreme. These markets are tough enough to crowbar in an electric model, but add in the fact that the A2 was expected to carry a €40,000 ($50,000) price tag, and you get a model that was bound to fail in the European marketplace. Combine that price point with the fact that the Nissan Leaf, with its far lower €25,990 ($32,500) price tag, only saw 3,000 units leave showroom floors in 2011, and Audi wisely saw this as a fruitless journey.
The entire A2 line will likely continue as expected, sans the electric model. This leaves a gasoline and diesel model as the only drivetrain options.
The A1 e-tron reportedly is meeting a similar fate, but for different reasons. The A1 e-tron is being axed due to extravagantly high production costs. This car was planned to be similar to the Chevy Volt, as it was going to have a gasoline engine to extend the range of its electric motor by charging the batteries via a Wankel (rotary) engine.
Though this is a tragic way to abruptly cease the development phase for an electric lineup, we cannot blame Audi for its choice. Electric cars just are not selling well in the European markets and having one priced nearly double its closest competitor and another one with climbing production costs just isn’t smart business.
Audi is further expanding its e-Tron line-up with a new A6 L e-Tron concept at the 2012 Beijing Auto Show. This decision really shouldn’t surprise anyone considering people in the Chinese market love their large cars, but want efficiency in their models as well. The new A6 L e-Tron Concept serves up the perfect combination the luxury and the practicality of an A6, and a range of 49.71 miles on pure electric power.
Like all the other e-Tron models, the new A6 L e-Tron concept combines a 211 HP 2.0 TFSI engine with a 95 HP electric motor. The electric motor takes its power from a liquid-cooled lithium-ion battery located in a collision-protected space at the rear of the vehicle.
The concept was built on an ultra lightweight principle that combines 10% aluminum with carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP). The interior is almost similar to a standard A6, except that the power-meter replaces the tachometer that offers the driver the info he needs.
Hit the jump to read more about the new Audi A6 L e-Tron concept.
