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The five-door A1 Sportback – which combines
cutting-edge styling with optimum economy of space, supreme quality and
a series of visionary technical solutions that help to reduce CO2
emissions to just 92 g/km.
A new version of
the innovative hybrid technology employed in the A1 project quattro
provides power for the A1 Sportback concept. Under the bonnet is a
transversely mounted 1.4-litre TFSI engine developing 150PS and 240Nm,
and directing this to the front wheels by means of the S tronic
dual-clutch transmission. A 27 hp electric motor integrated in
the drive train is able to deliver up to an additional 150 Nm of torque
(110.63 lb-ft) when the vehicle is accelerating.
During the
boosting phase, i.e. when the TFSI engine and electric motor operate
simultaneously, the two power packs deliver impressive propulsion. The
tried-and-tested front-wheel drive configuration – supplemented by the
newly developed, ESP-controlled active front differential lock – ensures
optimum power transfer to the road.
The electric motor
is also capable of powering the vehicle unaided for zero-emission
driving in residential areas, for instance. The capacity of the
lithium-ion batteries gives the vehicle a range of up to 62.14 miles in
pure electric mode; the motor can be recharged from any power socket.
The automatic start/stop facility, energy regeneration and phases of
purely electrical operation reduce the fuel consumption and emissions of
the Audi A1 Sportback concept by almost 30 percent compared to when it
is running on the combustion engine alone. Despite its strong
performance, with acceleration of 0 to 62mph in 7.9 seconds and a top
speed of 124mph, the Audi A1 Sportback concept is nevertheless capable
of returning up to 72.4mpg; CO2 emissions are an efficient 92
g/km.
Regenerative braking
Overrun, or the so-called regeneration phase, is one of the most
important elements of this vehicle concept for optimizing efficiency as
it transforms the braking energy released during deceleration phases
back into electrical energy, instead of it being wasted and released as
heat.
Power transmission
to the front wheels is the task of the Audi S tronic dual-clutch
gearbox. It allows the driver to change gear in fractions of a second
without the use of a clutch pedal and with no interruption to the power
flow. If required, the transmission performs the gear changes fully
automatically, too. If the driver wishes to change gear manually, he or
she can do so by using the shift paddles mounted on the steering wheel.
Reverse gear and neutral are engaged via the gear knob on the centre
console. The park position is automatically selected when the electric
parking brake is engaged.
Audi
drive select with efficiency mode
Dynamic ability and efficiency in the A1 Sportback concept are also
enhanced by Audi drive select, which is currently available as an option
in the A4, A5 and Q5 ranges. This enables the driver to pre-select one
of two specially adapted configurations for the drivetrain, shift
characteristics and magnetic ride shock absorbers.
The default
setting is the “efficiency” mode. In this mode, the engine and
transmission respond gently to use of the accelerator and shift paddles.
This setting is ideal for a relaxed driving style, as well as offering
tremendous potential for effectively lowering fuel consumption, and
therefore emissions.
In the
“efficiency” mode the Audi A1 Sportback concept can be used for
distances of up to 62.14 miles in purely electric mode, and at speeds
considerably in excess of 62.14mph thanks to the powerful battery. The
combustion engine only cuts in again once battery capacity has dropped
to below 20 percent of maximum.
In this mode, the
electric motor is not deployed as a source of additional torque; instead
it is run selectively as the sole power source to bring about a tangible
reduction in consumption. For this purpose, the system makes use of a
host of parameters which can be fed to it via the navigation system. In
the “efficiency” mode, for example, with a fully charged battery and a
distance of less than
31 miles the vehicle is operated in principle on purely electrical
power.
Thanks to the
navigation system’s ability to detect differences in altitude along the
route, regeneration phases as well as the increase in energy
requirements on inclines can be computed before the journey has even
started. This makes vehicle operation even more efficient through
optimum utilization of the electric motor.
The sport mode is
designed to produce dynamic yet comfortable driving characteristics. In
this mode, the vehicle’s electronics also harness the torque available
from the electric motor to achieve optimum acceleration along with
excellent lateral dynamics.
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