Audi still doesn’t have an electric car -- the R8 e-Tron doesn't count -- on the market, but that hasn’t stopped the aftermarket world from beating the German automaker to the punch. The Audi in question here is the S5, but it’s not really a factory unit, anymore. That’s because this S5 is now powered by the electric powertrain of a Tesla Model S donor car. This Audi S5 is now an electric car after undergoing a full EV conversion at the hands of noted New Jersey-based EV tuner, POLYKUP.
When we first caught wind of this project, we assumed that it was just one of those novelty builds from a random tuner that had far too much time on its hands. But we were mistaken. This project has evolved into something truly special, and that’s a credit to the people over at POLYKUP.
It’s one thing to use a Tesla Model as a test vehicle to learn more about the intricacies of its all-electric powertrain, but to actually use a Model S as a donor car and lifting its electric motor, inverter, and all 16 battery modules is something else entirely.
The numbers aren’t misprints, either. This Audi S5 was tested on the dyno and returned 359.5 horsepower and 449 pound-feet of torque. And that’s when the coupe was already below 50 percent charge. In other words, it’s capable of much more when it’s fully charged, a distinction it can’t claim if it didn’t receive the electric powertrain of the Tesla Model S.
There will be weirder tuning creations in the future. There will be more powerful tuning creations, too. But for now, this Audi S5 is one of the coolest tuning projects we’ve seen in some time. It’s not every day that you see a car like the S5 using the powertrain of a Tesla Model S.
It’s still weird thinking about it, but you can watch the video above if you’re still not convinced about its capabilities.
Further Reading
Read our full review on the 2017 Tesla Model S.
Read our full review on the 2017 Audi S5.