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A highly-charged atmosphere is
guaranteed on the Audi stand at the 2011 Frankfurt Show as the
futuristic A2 concept is confirmed as the third all-electric Audi design
study to take the limelight for the Vorsprung durch Technik brand.
Although more familiar in form than the two radically styled urban
concept electric studies, the four-seat A2 concept is similarly
forward-looking. Its exceptionally weight-conscious and space-efficient
packaging is achieved using state-of-the-art multi-material hybrid
construction, and its space-age specification includes contact-free
battery charging, ‘by-wire’ steering and braking, LED matrix lighting
technology and a semi-autonomous running mode.
Advanced Audi ultra-lightweight
construction techniques limit the weight of this latest technology study
to just 1,150kg. For the first time it unites hybrid multimaterial
construction, in which very different materials are combined with one
another, with the Audi Space Frame (ASF) construction principle. The
superstructure is made largely from aluminium, complemented by add-on
parts in Carbon Fibre-Reinforced Polymer (CFRP). The 18-inch alloy
wheels also shave off around 2kg each compared with conventional
equivalents thanks to cladding technology which greatly reduces the
amount of material used.
The Audi A2 concept is a purely
electric vehicle. A lithium-ion battery mounted in its sandwich floor
stores 31 kWh of energy, 24 kWh of which is usable. The electric motor
is transversely mounted in the front, and delivers 116PS of peak power
(80PS continuous) and 270 Nm of torque (160 Nm continuous) to the front
wheels via a single-speed transmission.
This power output permits a 0-62mph
acceleration time of 9.3 seconds and a top speed of 93mph, the latter
electronically limited in the interest of driving range, which stands at
124 miles according to the European driving cycle test.
It takes roughly 1.5 hours to fully
recharge the battery with 400 volt three-phase current and approximately
four hours with 230 volt household current. The Audi A2 concept is also
designed for the new contactless charging technology (Audi Wireless
Charging).
The charging socket and the cooling
water connection are concealed at the front of the car behind the upper
portion of the single frame grille. The lower section of the grille acts
as an air inlet, and incorporates highly efficient cooling elements made
of graphite foam. The lightweight mineral is an excellent conductor of
heat from the water to the ambient air. Eight blocks with six graphite
elements each are located in the central air inlet.
McPherson strut front suspension and a
torsion beam rear axle provide agile handling with the help of steering
and brake systems which are purely electric (steer-by-wire and
brake-by-wire), requiring no mechanical or hydraulic connection to the
steering wheel or the pedals, respectively.
The colours and materials in the
interior support the impression of lightness and functionality. The
large areas from the door top shoulders to the floor are covered in a
tough material with a neoprene surface feel. A ribbed material made from
recycled polyester covers the central floor area. Aluminium elements
accentuate the cockpit. |
