Audi’s electric R8 has been revealed and its name is E-Tron. Set to go head-to-head with similar ecological concepts from closest rivals BMW and Mercedes-Benz, the new e-Tron will have its work cut out for it at this week’s 2009 Frankfurt Auto Show and on initial inspection it looks like it has what it takes.
In the past couple of weeks Audi has teased us with a special website and some trailer videos all featuring a central theme of electrical power and now we can clearly see why. Motor Authority
Producing 230 kW (313 hp) and 4,500 Nm (3,319.03 lb-ft) of torque, the two-seater accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 4.8 seconds.
The lithium-ion battery provides a truly useable energy content of 42.4 kilowatt hours to enable a range of approximately 248 kilometres.
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 centre of gravity and axle load distribution.
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 a thermal management system.
Networking the vehicle electronics with the surroundings, which is referred to as car-to-x communication, opens new dimensions to efficiency, safety and convenience. Pune Mirror
Designing the car around an all-electric drive system has allowed Audi’s engineers to rethink much of the electric R8’s structure.
The e-Tron’s bank of batteries, and the electronic brains that control the four electric motors, are housed behind the driver in the place where the R8’s conventional engines would sit.
Air still needs to flow into the battery bay to cool the heat generated by the 42.5kWh system, but clever vents are able to control the amount of air flowing in to both improve aerodynamics and keep the battery bank at its optimal operating temperature.
Audi’s engineers are also able to plumb the heat generated by the car’s electrical system, using a heat exchanger to extract hot air from the battery bay and feed it into the cabin to warm it up.
The car’s top speed is electronically limited to 200km/h, while regenerative braking will feed power back into the system, again in the interests of preserving range.
Other energy-saving measures include using LED lighting technology for everything, including the headlights. Audi says the e-tron’s headlights will be able to adapt to any driving situation, even recognising rain or fog and adjusting the headlights’ intensity to suit.
Inside, the R8 shares more in common with a touch-screen mobile phone than a car. Audi has integrated touch sensors to eliminate almost all the switches that dominate the cabin of conventional cars. Sydney Morning Herald
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