Audi on a charge with electric e-tron
BAD news for the Jaguar I-pace … there’s some serious competition on the way in the shape of Audi’s first ever all-electric series production model. Called the e-tron, this new full-size SUV will hit Audi dealerships early in 2019 with a price tag of £70,805 – not much more than the Jag when the Government’s £4,500 electric car grant is lopped off. With 400bhp on tap, the new Audi – revealed for the first time in emissions-conscious San Francisco – will have around the same power output as the Jag but, with less torque, its’ 0-62mph time of 5.7 seconds can’t quite match the I-pace’s electrifying 4.8 second sprint. But for non-stop electric motoring it’s on a par with the Jag with a claimed range of at least 248 miles on the WTLP driving cycle. The e-tron has powerful front and rear electric motors energised by a 95kw high-voltage battery and a new quattro electric all-wheel drive system. Like an F1 car, it can recover energy when it is coasting or braking. A drive selection system allows the driver to vary the e-tron’s characteristics between seven profiles depending on the driving situation, road conditions or personal preferences. The system also influences the standard air suspension system which has adaptive dampers. The pneumatic springs adjust individually to the road conditions depending on the speed and the driver’s preferences, varying the ride height by as much as 76 millimetres. Among a number of advanced high-tech features are optional virtual exterior mirrors – a world first in a series production model. Integrated into each of the mirror supports is a small camera transmitting images to high-contrast OLED displays inside the vehicle – cutting drag and marking the car more efficient. Audi claims the e-tron takes in-car digitisation to a whole new level with two large MMI touch response displays replacing nearly every conventional switch and control and many functions which can also be controlled via voice activation.