It is all electric, as Audi unveiled its e-tron prototype SUV, the first completely electric vehicle from the company at this year’s Geneva Motor Show.
The Audi e-tron prototype offers a preview of the first all-electric model from the Audi brand. The camouflaged exterior conceals a sporty premium SUV with space for five people along with plenty of luggage room – the space and comfort are similar to that of a typical Audi luxury class model.
With a range suitable for longer journeys and the comprehensive charging options planned to be available, customers can drive purely electrically without making any compromises. The production version of the Audi e-tron prototype can fill up electricity at fast-charging stations with up to 150 kW of charging capacity in just under 30 minutes.
The production version of the Audi e-tron is planned to be launched to the European market at the end of 2018, when more details about the vehicle will be revealed. The car is produced at a carbon-neutral plant in Brussels.
The launch of the Audi e-tron, sets an important milestone for Audi’s future. In 2020, the brand plans to have three all-electric vehicles in the product range, with a four-door Gran Turismo – the production version of the Audi e-tron Sportback concept – and a model in the compact segment joining the sporty SUV. Audi plans to launch more than 20 electric cars and plug-in hybrids by 2025 – spread across all segments and concepts.
Showcasing high-voltage technology: behind the prototype’s design camouflage
The Audi e-tron prototype does not wear the traditional prototype camouflage, but instead illustrates its electrification genes with a specially developed design film in the colours of black, white and orange.
The distorted e-tron lettering stretches across the entire flank, as if it was charged with electricity. The “e” winds its way around the tailgate at the height of the front fender and is literally electrifying. Mimicking the high-voltage grid, orange elements illustrate the fact that the Audi e-tron prototype is fully electric – the lower part of the car, for example, is encircled with alternating orange and black segments. The expressive sills, with their colourful inserts, indicate where the battery and energy center of the car is located.
Four continents, more than five million kilometres: testing under extreme conditions
Up until the Audi e-tron is officially launched at the end of the year, the sporty SUV will complete test drives on four continents as part of its testing. Whether it’s in the cold temperatures of Scandinavia or in the heat of Africa; in the mountainous altitudes of Asia or on the north loop of the Nürburgring; in the stop-and-go traffic of major Chinese cities or on American highways – the purely electrically powered SUV has to prove its all-round qualities in uncompromising practical tests under extreme conditions.
Audi is testing the pre-series vehicles for customer-focused operation in all climate zones ranging from below -20 to above +50 degrees Celsius. In addition, intensive tests of the charging technology are being conducted worldwide – an important safeguarding criterion for battery-electric models. The individual charging standards are tested on proving grounds and in public areas to validate the full range of different charging options.
In total, just fewer than 250 Audi e-tron prototypes are to be used in the tests. They will cover more than five million kilometres – roughly equivalent to 125 times around the earth and 85,000 hours on the road.
Hunting down the prototype in Geneva: a pre-launch campaign
Prior to the world premiere, part of the Audi e-tron test fleet will be out on public roads wearing the electrifying camouflage design. The distinctive prototypes made their first stop in Geneva, driving past prominent sites in the Swiss metropolis as part of the 2018 Geneva Motor Show activities. The public have been encouraged to photograph the prototypes in its designer livery and post their scoop photos on social media using #etron. Audi will publish the best pictures on the website at www.e-tron.audi, without any hide-and-seek.