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Audi presents the e-tron, a high-performance sports car with a purely
electric drive system. Four motors – two each at the front and rear
axles – drive the wheels, making the concept car a true quattro.
Producing 313 hp and 4,500 Nm (3,319.03 lb-ft) of torque, the two-seater
accelerates from 0 – 62 mph) in 4.8 seconds, and from 60 to 120 km/h
(37.28 – 74.56 mph) in 4.1 seconds. The lithium-ion battery provides a
truly useable energy content of 42.4 kilowatt hours to enable a range of
approximately 248 kilometers.
The performance
figures are by no means the only evidence of the consistent and holistic
strategy. The design makes it clear that the e-tron belongs in the major
leagues of sports cars, and the package takes into account the specific
realities of an electric vehicle. The battery is directly behind the
passenger cabin for an optimal center of gravity and axle load
distribution.
The e-tron is able
to freely distribute the powerful torque of its four electric motors to
the wheels as required. This so-called torque vectoring allows for
dazzling dynamics and an undreamed-of level of agility and precision
when cornering.
Audi has taken a
new and in some cases revolutionary approach to many of the technical
modules. A heat pump is used to efficiently warm up and heat the
interior. The drive system, the power electronics and the battery are
controlled by an innovative thermal management system that is a crucial
component for achieving the car’s range without compromising its high
level of interior comfort. Networking the vehicle electronics with the
surroundings, which is referred to as car-to-x communication, opens new
dimensions for the optimization of efficiency, safety and convenience.
The Concept
Electric drive systems are still very much outsiders. The first vehicles
of this type took to the roads around 1900, yet in 2009 no volume car
manufacturer has a car powered exclusively by batteries in its lineup.
Fewer than 1,500 electric vehicles are currently registered in Germany,
corresponding to only 0.035 percent of all registered vehicles.
Yet electric
driving potentially offers numerous advantages. Electric cars reduce the
dependence of transportation and the economy on the raw material
petroleum. They produce no direct exhaust emissions and thus ease the
local burden on the environment. Electric drive systems are also
significantly more efficient than combustion engines, consequently
making them easier on the customers’ wallets. Other strengths include
sportiness and the fun they bring to driving. All of the torque is
essentially available the moment the driver steps on the accelerator,
allowing for breathtaking acceleration.
There is still a
lot of work to do before electric cars are ready for volume production,
however. The greatest challenge is the integration of the energy storage
system. Acceptable range and performance requires a traction battery
that is heavy and takes up a lot of space. Audi is taking a new approach
to offset these disadvantages – a holistic approach with a specific
vehicle package, a systematic lightweight construction concept and an
optimal configuration of all components for the electric drive. |
