Autoblog

Audi A3 E-Tron

Michael Harley — Tue, 25 Sep 2012 11:57:00 EST

Filed under: Concept Cars, Hatchback, Audi, First Drives, Electric

Unique Feature Makes This A Very Special EV

The most innovative part of the Audi A3 E-Tron prototype isn't found under the hood or in its battery compartment. Instead, one must sit in the driver's seat and move slightly to the side, then peer at the two smallish steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters.

On traditional internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles, a quick tug on the left paddle shifts the transmission down one gear while the right is used for shifting the gearbox up. However, nearly all battery-electric vehicles (BEV) have but a single-speed transmission. Paddle shifters are completely unnecessary. The engineers at Audi, likely not wanting to leave gaping holes on the back of the trick sporty steering wheel, gave the two plastic flaps a new role - to control the intensiveness of regenerative braking.

It was a game-changing move.

Continue reading Audi A3 E-Tron

Audi A3 E-Tron originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 25 Sep 2012 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Audi's electric e-tron to get artificial sound

Jeff Glucker — Wed, 03 Nov 2010 10:32:00 EST

Filed under: Technology, Audi, Electric

Audi e-tron concept - Click above for high-res image gallery

When cruising at 15.53 miles per hour or slower, an electric car runs virtually silent. Once over that speed, road noise and air moving over the car begin to become prevalent and the car can be "heard" as it travels down the road. That silent running is an intriguing part of the electric car world, but it's problematic, mostly because those speeds are generally reserved for traffic-clogged cities, parking lots and other areas where pedestrian foot traffic meets automotive. If you are hard of hearing, you might not know that an electric car is heading your way as you step out into the street. Audi is working to prevent this, by incorporating an exterior sound system into its e-tron.

A team of acousticians is hard at work behind Ingolstadt's closed doors. Their goal is to develop a sound that reflects the brand's core values. But what does Audi sound like?

According to Christian Schüller, Head of Brand Development/Corporate Identity:

"The obvious approach would be to work on the basis of the familiar sound of a combustion engine. On the other hand, we want to underscore that an electric or hybrid Audi is an innovative product. We also want to make our Vorsprung durch Technik audible in the era of electric mobility."

Dr. Ralf Kunkel, Head of Acoustics at Audi AG, has a different idea:

"The sounds used for space ships in films are reminiscent of car sounds, yet are also very different, making this a rather interesting approach."

Kunkel goes on to say that, although it's unlikely we will see Audis that sound like jets or spaceships, we will hear something unique and "distinctively Audi." He says to picture the Audi RSQ from the film I, Robot and we should get a good idea of what to expect. Follow the jump for the official press blast.

Gallery: Audi e-tron Concept

[Source: Audi]

Continue reading Audi's electric e-tron to get artificial sound

Audi's electric e-tron to get artificial sound originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 03 Nov 2010 10:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Audi wants your help designing its future electric vehicles

Autoblog Staff — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 14:30:00 EST

Filed under: Audi, Design/Style, Electric

Audi e-tron - Click above for high-res image gallery

So you think you've got what it takes to design an electric car? If so, Audi is interested in hearing from you. The company just kicked off an electric car competition that challenges people to try their hand at designing the cars of tomorrow. The competition is open to anyone with an eye for design who also knows a thing or two about electric cars. Audi officially calls the competition "The Production of Electric Automobiles," and concept ideas are currently being accepted. Unfortunately, the site is in German, making entry a wee bit more difficult, but this translated Google page will help English-only speakers out.

There are a few guidelines that must be followed in order to have chance at winning the contest, but it's pretty simple stuff. Of those who do enter before the July 31st deadline, Audi will select eight finalists to attend a workshop to perfect and resubmit their ideas. The company will then choose an overall winner in November. Bernd Griesbach, an Audi spokesperson for the event, hints at what the company expects from entrants:

We are convinced that we will receive many innovative and creative entries because the competition is a unique opportunity for young employees and potential employees. It is important that the concept can be easily implemented and demonstrates clear progress over the state of the art.

Interested? Give it a try, as there's certainly nothing to lose. If you do well enough, your design might even be implemented in future Audi products and could even land you a spot at the company. How's that for forward momentum? Follow the jump to learn more about the contest. Hat tip to Larzen!

Gallery: Challenge Bibendum: Audi e-Tron

Photos copyright (C)2010 Sebastian Blanco / Weblogs, Inc.
[Source: Audi]

Continue reading Audi wants your help designing its future electric vehicles

Audi wants your help designing its future electric vehicles originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 09 Jun 2010 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Spy Shots: Audi R8 e-tron hits the road

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Wed, 09 Jun 2010 09:30:00 EST

Filed under: Spy Photos, Coupe, Audi, Electric

Audi surprised the motoring press with its first R8-based e-tron concept back at last year's Frankfurt Motor Show and has since shown off a repainted, slightly modified version in LA and finally a third take on the electric sportscar concept earlier this year in Detroit. We don't expect the German automaker to slow down its march to putting high-powered electric vehicles on the road any time soon, as evidenced by these spy shots of a heavily disguised e-tron roaming the streets in Germany.

At first glance, there's little indication that the car pictured here is anything but a run-of-the-mill (if such a thing exists) R8 with a psychedelic paint job. A closer examination reveals a complete lack of exterior cooling ducts and a blocked-off rear compartment.

There's no indication of what electric powertrain exists in this prototype, but previous concepts have used four individual electric motors with enough power to push the car to 60 miles per hour in under five seconds. Energy storage comes courtesy of a 54kW lithium ion battery pack. Audi is promising to have the e-tron on the roads by 2012 with a limited production run of no more than 1,000 units.

[Source: Autocar]

Spy Shots: Audi R8 e-tron hits the road originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 09 Jun 2010 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Audi A1 e-tron runs like Volt, advances ER-EV concept

Sam Abuelsamid — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 23:35:00 EST

Filed under: Concept Cars, Hybrid, Geneva Motor Show, Hatchback, Audi, Electric

Audi A1 e-tron concept - Click above for high-res image gallery

After teasing us with a few goodies yesterday, Audi has just released technical details on its new A1 e-tron concept that debuts later today at the Geneva Motor Show. As we already knew, the A1 uses an extended range electric architecture like the Chevrolet Volt, but with a compact and power-dense Wankel rotary engine/generator to keep the battery alive after power from the grid is depleted. The diagrams released by Audi show that the Wankel is mounted in the car's rear behind the T-shaped battery pack that sits mostly under the rear seat.

The lithium ion battery pack has a capacity of 12 kilowatt-hours, which is claimed to provide about 30 miles of range on a charge. Unlike the 1,000+ pound pack in the original e-tron concept, this unit weighs in at just 330 pounds. The electric motor provides a standard output of 45 kW or 61 horsepower, though peak power of 75 kW or 102 hp is available in short bursts and keeps the car's 0-62 mile-per-hour time around 10 seconds. The motor and all of the power electronics reside in the car's front where the internal combustion powerplant of a conventional A1 would normally be found.

The Wankel weighs in at just 154 lbs and displaces just 254 cc of volume in its single rotor. The whole unit is small enough to sit below the cargo floor of the A1. Running at a constant 5,000 rpm, the rotary motor can extend the A1 e-tron's range to 130 miles. Why not longer? The fuel tank holds only 3.17 gallons. With the Wankel running, Audi says the A1 e-tron will return about 124 miles per gallon U.S.

Of historical note, the first ever production car with a Wankel rotary engine was introduced by NSU back in 1964. NSU later merged with Auto Union, which also included Audi, the sole surviving brand of the group.

Gallery: Audi A1 e-tron concept

[Source: Audi]

Continue reading Audi A1 e-tron runs like Volt, advances ER-EV concept

Audi A1 e-tron runs like Volt, advances ER-EV concept originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 01 Mar 2010 23:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

FOLLOW-UP: Audi says electric e-tron puts out 501.5 lb-ft

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Mon, 21 Dec 2009 17:58:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Marketing/Advertising, Audi, Electric

Audi e-tron concept - Click above for high-res image gallery

Will the real torque figure of the Audi e-tron concept please stand up? While the German automaker continues to claim its all-electric concept sportscar manages a stout, locomotive-like 4,500 Nm (3,319.03 pound-feet) of torque, the sleuthing boys at Automobile Magazine weren't buying it, instead coming up with a much more mundane rating of 252 lb-ft of torque after performing some back-of-a-paper-napkin calculations.

It would seem that the real torque figure lies somewhere in between those two estimates, though significantly closer to the lower, unadvertised number: 501.5 lb-ft. That's the total combined output of the four individual electric motors, says Audi. The astronomical 3,319 is the torque as measured at the wheels after being geared down and multiplied. So, why the disparity between the actual torque of the motors and the figure espoused by Audi to the motoring press?

Well, besides the obvious answer that 3,319 lb-ft at the wheels sounds much more impressive, Audi's engineers apparently thought the larger number was more indicative of the actual feeling of all the push generated by the four electric motors when accelerating from a dead stop, as the maximum torque figure is achieved right from zero RPM.

Regardless, using the still-impressive rating of 501.5 lb-ft is, in our opinion, much more accurate and easier to compare with the rest of the automotive field than the seemingly disingenuous 3,319 figure, and it's the number we plan to use when describing the car from this point forward.

Gallery: Audi e-tron concept

[Source: Green Car Advisor]

FOLLOW-UP: Audi says electric e-tron puts out 501.5 lb-ft originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 21 Dec 2009 17:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Audi e-tron sales to be limited to 1,000 units?

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Audi, Electric

Audi e-tron concept - Click above for high-res image gallery

Audi may not be positioning itself as a "green brand," but it's still putting a rather big toe into the environmentally-friendly waters of electric sportscars with its R8-based e-tron, which is reportedly headed for production in 2012.

As a refresher - as if you needed one - the e-tron debuted as a concept at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September with some truly impressive statistics: four separate electric motors with 230 kW (313 horsepower) and 4,500 Nm (3,319.03 pound-feet) of torque (sort of), which is enough to push it to 62 mph in a mere 4.8 seconds.

So, um... want one? The line forms at the rear, and you'd better not dawdle as Audi says its only planning to build 1,000 of examples. Naturally, pricing has yet to be set, but it's reportedly expected to be "above R8 levels." Duh. Regardless, with all those lithium ion batteries and their associated electronic gadgetry, we don't imagine that Audi plans to make much of a profit when it finally goes on sale in two years.

Gallery: LA 2009: Orange Audi e-tron

[Source: Autocar]

Audi e-tron sales to be limited to 1,000 units? originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 08 Dec 2009 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Rendered Speculation: Pondering what an electric Audi R4 roadster would look like

Sam Abuelsamid — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 16:31:00 EST

Filed under: Convertible, Audi, Electric

At last month's Frankfurt Motor Show, Audi board member Michael Dick confirmed that a production version of the electric eTron sports car concept would be produced by late 2012. Following the show, Audi NA president Johan de Nysschen confirmed that announcement and now AutoExpress has produced a rendering of a production model. However, there appears to be some details lost in the translation. The eTron is based on the aluminum space frame of the R8 while AE says the R4 will be a smaller roadster with a chassis shared with the next generation Porsche Boxster/Cayman.

An Audi R4 has been speculated for some time, with the rumors flaring up after VW showed off the concept BlueSport in Detroit this year. It's not clear if Audi will move ahead with the larger R8-based EV sportster or a smaller machine, or perhaps both. If they do, something like this rendering would be welcome, combining elements of the BlueSport, the eTron and even the top and flying buttresses of a Lotus Elise.

[Source: AutoExpress]

Rendered Speculation: Pondering what an electric Audi R4 roadster would look like originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 14 Oct 2009 16:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Frankfurt 2009: Audi e-tron - 4 motors, 1 battery and 3,319 lb-ft of torque!

Sam Abuelsamid — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 07:00:00 EST

Filed under: Concept Cars, Frankfurt Motor Show, Audi

Audi e-tron concept - Click above for high-res image gallery

Those with a passion for torque were disappointed when it became clear that Audi was unlikely to ever build a production version of the R8 V12 TDI that was shown at the 2008 Detroit Auto Show. Now the automaker has come back with a new R8-based concept that puts the diesel to shame. The new e-tron packs four electric motors and a lithium-ion battery pack with a fairly tame-sounding 313 hp but an insane 3,319 lb-ft of torque. The run to 62 mph takes 4.8 seconds, but rolling acceleration from 37-75 mph takes just 4.1 seconds thanks to the e-tron's massive amount of twist.

While acknowledging that electric vehicles are still far from economically viable volume production vehicles, Audi is nonetheless working on electric technology, both for hybrids and pure EVs. The pack sports a 53kWh capacity of which 42.4 kWh is usable. The pack weighs in at 1,036 pounds out of a total vehicle weight of 3,527 pounds and is mounted ahead of the rear axle and liquid cooled. Each of the axles sports two electric motors allowing the e-tron to retain Audi's signature quattro all-wheel drive. The e-tron has an estimated range of 154 miles on the EU combined driving cycle and you can read more about it in Audi's official press release after the jump.

Gallery: Audi e-tron concept

[Source: Audi]

Continue reading Frankfurt 2009: Audi e-tron - 4 motors, 1 battery and 3,319 lb-ft of torque!

Frankfurt 2009: Audi e-tron - 4 motors, 1 battery and 3,319 lb-ft of torque! originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 15 Sep 2009 07:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Audi U.S. president Johan de Nysschen addresses Chevrolet Volt is for idiots firestorm via Facebook

Sam Abuelsamid — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 08:58:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Technology, Audi, Electric, Diesel

Audi of America president Johan de Nysschen has issued a public response to the firestorm he created yesterday when he reportedly told a member of the media that the Chevrolet Volt is "a car for idiots." Anyone who has met de Nysschen in person knows he is not one to mince words. He (and Audi) has been a strong proponent of diesel technology as an important near-to-mid-term method to reduce petroleum consumption, but given that Audi is planning electric vehicles of their own - at least in concept form - the remark caught many offguard.

In his new statement released on Audi's Facebook page, de Nysschen declares that he doesn't specifically remember using the words attributed to him, although he doesn't deny the sentiment behind them. Essentially, he, along with many others, is highly dubious of the viability of General Motors' ER-EV concept, particularly from an economic standpoint. de Nysschen also highlights the fact that government policies are one of the driving forces behind electrification.

While noting that in the long-term, electrified propulsion systems will be a major part of the transportation system, he points out that many questions remain unresolved including the readiness of the power grid and generation systems to support large quantities of EVs.

Just as de Nysschen questions these elements, many will make precisely the opposite argument. The reality is likely to fall somewhere in between, with a number of these technologies playing an important part for the foreseeable future. The grid is probably more ready than most doubters think, but the time frame for driving down the cost of batteries may not be so easy to tackle. Increasingly efficient internal combustion engines will be critical, especially for long distance travel. While history sorts out what technologies will be winners over the long haul, you can read de Nysschen's statement right now after the jump. What do you think? Drop your fellow reader a line in 'Comments.'

[Source: Aud i | Image: Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty]

Continue reading Audi U.S. president Johan de Nysschen addresses Chevrolet Volt is for idiots firestorm via Facebook

Audi U.S. president Johan de Nysschen addresses Chevrolet Volt is for idiots firestorm via Facebook originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 04 Sep 2009 08:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Frankfurt Preview: Audi to show electric concept, possibly battery-powered R8?

Sam Abuelsamid — Fri, 31 Jul 2009 09:29:00 EST

Filed under: Concept Cars, Frankfurt Motor Show, Audi, Electric

With less than two months to go before the start of the Frankfurt Motor Show, the rumor mill is heating up fast. As with other recent shows, electric and alternative drive vehicles are expected to play a big part in Germany. Audi is just one of the automakers that may show off at least a concept powered by batteries and electric motors - the big question is what platform will get the EV treatment. The most probable candidate is a mini-car based off of VW Group's "new small family" platform that was previewed with the 2007 Up! concepts.

There is, however, another long-shot possibility: an electric supercar based off the R8. This is a rumor that first cropped up last spring and was quickly shot down by Audi. However, two weeks ago Mercedes-Benz announced that it would build an electric version of its upcoming SLS gull-wing coupe. Might the cross-country rivals from Ingolstadt have an answer for that eco-friendly supercar up its corporate sleeves?

We checked with our contacts at Audi who would only say it's too early to talk about Frankfurt. If Audi has suddenly reversed course and decided to build a electric R8 concept, it will probably be mostly a styling mock-up rather than a fully functional vehicle. Of course, it's even more likely it just won't happen at all.

[Source: Automobile-magazine.fr]

Frankfurt Preview: Audi to show electric concept, possibly battery-powered R8? originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 31 Jul 2009 09:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments