Audi unveils all-electric SUV
At the Frankfurt Motor Show, Audi unveiled an all-electric concept crossover with an impressive range that could someday pose a challenge to electric vehicle heavyweight Tesla Motors.
The “e-tron quattro’’ is slated to arrive by 2018. It’s not clear what it will cost when it gets here, but another Audi SUV, the Q7, starts at $48,300.
The car was introduced, along with several other new vehicle designs, during Volkswagen’s press conference at the Frankfurt Auto Show. Volkswagen Group is the parent company of Audi.
The stats
In a statement, Audi said the e-tron quattro will be powered by three electric motors. One motor powers the front axle while two more power the rear axle. It will also have a range of 500 kilometers, or 310.7 miles. That’s higher than the range offered by Tesla’s Model S lineup.
Audi attributes part of the e-tron quattro’s impressive range to its exterior design. The concept vehicle “combines the design with the aerodynamics and all-electric drive system,’’ according to a company statement. The SUV has a very flat greenhouse – the part of the car that includes the windshield, windows, and dividing pillars – that improves air flow and allows the Quattro to extend its range.
“[The e-tron quattro] combines driving pleasure with great range, an expressive design and excellent comfort,’’ said Professor Dr. Ulrich Hackenber, a member of the Audi Board of Management for Technical Development.
According to a statement from Audi, the e-tron quattro can go from zero to 100 kilometers an hour (62.1 mph) in 4.6 seconds. It has a top speed of 130.5 miles per hour.
A large lithium-ion battery with a capacity of 95 kWh is built into the passenger compartment. There is also a solar roof that provides electricity for the drive system battery when the sun is out. The automaker says the car takes about 50 minutes to charge.
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Some of the cars making their debuts at the Frankfurt Auto Show
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In Tesla’s wake
Devin Lindsay, a powertrain analyst for IHS, says E-Tron Quattro’s unveiling is the latest sign that automakers are taking the electric vehicle (EV) market very seriously.
“If you look at the amount of R&D needed to launch a battery electric vehicle, it was risky,’’ said Linsay in a phone call. “Now, manufacturers are becoming more daring because there is a customer base.’’
In other words, Tesla has demonstrated not only that consumers will buy electric cars, but they are willing to pay premium prices for them. With a demand for all-electric vehicles now established, other automakers are now working hard to catch up.
Lindsay says consumer demand for electric vehicles will grow as the battery ranges of electric vehicles gets longer.
“It opens up the opportunity of ownership for more consumers,’’ said Lindsay, “This could this be the single vehicle in a person’s household, because it’s large enough to fit a family and make multiple trips before it needs to be recharged.’’
Audi was not the only luxury carmaker to send shock waves with its electric vehicle. Porsche unveiled its own electric sports car, the Mission E. Bloomberg reports the concept car has a range of 500 kilometers (or 310.6 miles) gets 600 horsepower, and can recharge to 80 percent in about 15 minutes.
Both Audi and Porsche are owned by Volkswagen Group.
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