AUDI DEBUTS 815 HP E-TRON ELECTRIC SUPERCAR

Audi e-tron Vision Gran Turismo

Sony’s Gran Turismo family of games has featured a number of carmakers’ concept cars as playable vehiclesover the years, but it’s rare for things to go the other way. That is, it’s rare for a car that was designed for the game to be made into a real car. It’s even rarer, still, for that real-life racer to have anywhere near the performance of its digital forebear. That’s what makes this 815 HP, race-ready Audi e-tron Vision Gran Turismo so very special.

Granted, the car looks an awful lot like the all-electric Audi R8 that was briefly offered, then cancelled in 2016 due to a lack of interested buyers. Enough so that it might make you wonder whether or not Audi might be having second thoughts about putting a go-fast EV in its future line-up, right?

Or, I dunno- maybe Audi just had a bunch of pre-production parts lying around and figured a car like this would make for good, cheap PR. If that’s the case, well- it worked!

You can check out a more comprehensive photo gallery over at the Verge, which has cleverly shuffled together pictures of the real car with pictures of the virtual car. See if you can tell the difference between the two in the photos I cherry-picked at the top of this post, then let us know what you think of this electric racer in the comments section at the bottom of this post.

Source | More Photos: Audi, via the Verge.

A Closer Look At The New Audi R8 E-Tron Battery

 

Want proof how fast things are changing in the world of electric cars? Look no further than the Audi R8 E-Tron battery. When the car was first introduced in 2010, it had a 49 kWh battery and about 130 miles of range. That was considered outstanding at the time, but since then, Tesla Motors has brought its Model S to market. That car features up to an 85 kWh battery and as much as 265 miles of range, making the R8 E-Tron look pretty ordinary by comparison.

Now Audi has unwrapped a completely new battery for its latest E-Tron. It boasts 90.2 kWh of power and a range closer to 280 miles. Energy density for the new battery has almost doubled from 84 watt-hours per kilogram to 152 watt-hours per kilogram. Yet the whole thing fits in exactly the same space at the battery from 2010. How is such a thing possible?

The secret is in the cells. Audi has figured out how to make much more powerful individual cells, then packed 7,488 of them into 52 modules of 144 cells each. Each module weighs 17 lb. In all, the new battery has over 10,000 parts and weighs 1,312 lbs. Positioned partially between the seat and partially behind them, the car ends up with 40/60 weight distrigution – about what it would be if it was a mid engine gasoline powered car.

But that’s only part of the good news about the new battery. Lots of power is useless if it takes forever to recharge the battery once it is depleted of energy. Using a Combo 2 AC charger, it takes 12 hours to replenish the battery. But if a DC fast charger pushing 50 kilowatts of juice into all those cells is used, the job is complete in just 95 minutes.

Audi has thoughtfully engineered the car’s charging system to accept inputs all the way up to 150 kilowatts, which is more than any Tesla SuperCharger is capable of at the moment. With that set up, an R8 E-Tron driver can power up for more than 90 miles of driving in just 15 minutes.

The world of electric car batteries has indeed changed radically in just over 4 years. Just imagine where the technology will be by the time 2020 rolls around.

Audi showcasing R8 e-tron piloted driving EV at CES Asia; piloted driving Audi A7 Sportback

At CES Asia 2015 in Shanghai, Audi is showcasing a piloted driving technology study version of its new R8 e-tron battery-electric sports car, introduced earlier this year at the Geneva show. Audi is also featuring a piloted driving version of its A7 Sportback.

The R8 e-tron—340 kW (456 hp) of power, acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h (62.1 mph) in 3.9 seconds, and a driving range of 450 km (280 miles)—is based on the multi-material Space Frame of the second-generation production R8. The piloted driving technology study integrates a range of future technologies for lightweight design, high-performance drive systems and functions for piloted driving.

Piloted driving in China: the Audi strategy. Audi so far has focused its developments in piloted driving on the US and Europe. Chinese road traffic poses its own special challenges for automated driving functions, the company said. This is attributable in part to differences in driving behavior, but it is also due to the structure of the road network, in which urban freeways and regular streets are laid out directly above one another over long distances.

To offer driver assistance systems that are appealing to Chinese drivers as well, Audi launched a project at its R&D Center in Beijing in cooperation with Tongji University in Shanghai. The researchers developed solutions for specific local driving situations in China. The project is part of a strategy for solving specific local challenges and testing them in local road traffic. Audi has been successfully pursuing this strategy in the US for many years. The brand’s appearance at CES Asia represents the initial results of the company’s collaboration in China.

R8 e-tron piloted driving. The R8 e-tron rear car body module is made of carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) integrating the luggage compartment, which extends the frame structure. The walls of the luggage compartment shell are corrugated, so that they can absorb extreme amounts of energy with little material weight in case of a rear-end collision.

Due to specific modifications made to the outer shell and wheels, the Audi R8 e-tron piloted driving attains a low Cd value of 0.28. Its front end and sideblades feature e-tron specific lighting solutions.

The T-shaped 92 kWh battery pack (up from 49 kWh in the first generation) is structurally integrated into the center tunnel and behind the occupant cell; its low center of gravity further boosts the already excellent driving dynamics of the R8 e-tron piloted driving. The high-voltage battery is based on a new lithium-ion technology that has, for the first time, been specifically designed for the drive system of an all-electric vehicle, Audi says.

Although the pack energy capacity has grown from 49 kWh to approximately 92 kWh, the vehicle packaging is the same, due to optimized space utilization and improved battery cell technology. Audi produces the high-voltage battery itself.

The R8 e-tron piloted driving achieves an electric range of 450 kilometers (279.6 mi) instead of a previous 215 kilometers (133.6 mi) due to an increase in its energy density from 84 Wh/kg to 154 Wh/kg and several other modifications. The high-performance sports car has the Combined Charging System (CCS) on board, which allows charging with direct and alternating current. With this system, the customer can charge the large battery in significantly less than two hours.

The two electric motors each output 170 kW of power and 460 N·m (339.3 lb-ft) of torque to the rear axle. The R8 e-tron’s electronically-governed top speed is 210 km/h (130.5 mph) or 250 km/h (155.3 mph), depending on the car’s tires. Intelligent energy management and an electromechanical brake system enable high energy recuperation rates. Targeted torque vectoring—needs-based distribution of power transmission between the rear wheels—ensures maximum stability and dynamism.

The R8 e-tron piloted driving technical study is equipped with all of the functions of piloted driving. Data is acquired from the interplay of an array of sensors: a new type of laser scanner, several video cameras, ultrasonic sensors and radar sensors at the front and rear. Based on signals from these sources, the central driver assistance control unit (zFAS) computes a comprehensive picture of the vehicle’s environment.

Audi can build the R8 e-tron in handcrafted quality to meet special customer requests. The company uses its high-performance electric sports car primarily as a high-tech mobile laboratory.

Piloted driving Audi A7 Sportback. Journalists at CES Asia can ride along in the piloted driving Audi A7 Sportback prototype over an approximately 15 km (9.3 mi) route through Shanghai that starts and ends near the trade fair site.

The test vehicle utilizes various production and near-production sensors. The long-range radar sensors of the adaptive cruise control (ACC) system monitor the zones in front of the car. A near-production laser scanner is mounted in the Singleframe grille. The sensors provide redundant information on stationary and moving objects they detect during the piloted drive. A high-resolution video camera by partner Mobileye, a prototype for a future generation of such devices, offers a wide-angle view in front of the car.

The function for piloted driving in traffic jams, which Audi is currently developing, is based on radar-supported adaptive cruise control (ACC) including traffic jam assist that will launch on the market in the new Q7. The system offers relief to drivers in dense highway traffic by handling steering tasks between 0 and 60 km/h (37.3 mph), and it accelerates and brakes autonomously. When the traffic jam pilot reaches its specified limits, such as when the traffic jam resolves itself, or the end of a divided highway is reached, the system prompts the driver to take control of the vehicle again. If the driver does not do this, the system safely brings the car to a stop.

In the future system for piloted driving, the radar sensors will remain an important component of the sensor array. They will acquire information from the zone in front of the car as they do today. A video camera with a wide angle lens detects the lane markings as well as pedestrians and objects, such as other vehicles and guard rails. Up to twelve ultrasonic sensors are used to monitor the immediate space around the car.

A new member of the sensor array is the laser scanner – it delivers highly precise data on objects at a distance of up to 80 meters (262.5 ft). Its laser diode emits nearly 100,000 infrared light pulses per second that are invisible to the human eye.

The control unit computes a surroundings profile from the light reflections. The laser scanner covers a range of 145 degrees on four vertical levels. Because of its wide aperture angle, it can detect vehicles that are merging in front of the car very early on. It also operates in the dark without any limitations. It can detect any objects – including those that exhibit a uniform pattern, such as fences, or objects that do not have any visible texture such as white walls.

Piloted driving related to parking. Piloted parking from Audi will let drivers exit the vehicle and conveniently control the car remotely with the remote key fob or a smartphone. To acquire information about the environment, the system utilizes twelve ultrasonic sensors, four top view cameras and a laser scanner. This produces redundant verification of the parking process.

The parking pilot offers the piloted parking function to the driver when the environmental sensors detect a suitable parking space or a garage. When drivers get out of the car, they only need to press the relevant button on their key fob or smartphone to initiate the process. Drivers are still responsible for the entire parking process until the car is stopped. The system requires that the vehicle key be located in the immediate vicinity of the car, so that the driver can evaluate the situation at all times.

If the on-board sensors detect obstacles in the driving corridor during piloted parking, the parking process is stopped immediately. Central locking is in the locked state throughout the piloted parking process. When the parking position is reached, the engine is shut off, and the car is secured against rolling. The driver gets a confirmation message. Retrieving the car from the garage or parking space is just as easy.

In 2013, Audi demonstrated piloted parking in its full functionality for the first time. The car was parked at the entrance of a parking structure, and the parking process was activated by smartphone. The driver could later use an app to retrieve the vehicle or schedule a specific time for the vehicle to be available at the exit.

Audi Q6 Electric 'SUV Coupe' Arrives In 2018 Or 2019: CEO

Purported Audi Q6 electric crossover teaser image. Image via Autocar.

It's now clear that we'll see a slew of all-electric luxury vehicles with ranges of 200 miles or more from German makers Audi, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz starting in 2017 or 2018.

What's less clear is whether those vehicles will be developed as electric cars from the ground up or whether they'll be adapted versions of gasoline models.

The current BMW i3 electric car has no gasoline-only counterpart, for example, so it's an example of the former--but the Volkswagen e-Golf is all but indistinguishable from gasoline and diesel Golfs.

One of those German luxury electric cars seems likely to share much of its understructure, if not its body shell, with gasoline models.

According to Britain's Auto Express, the upcoming Audi A6 electric "SUV coupe" will be "sexy and sporty"--and arrive in 2018 or 2019.

Audi Q7 e-tron

Audi confirmed production of the Q6 electric car at its annual meeting last month, releasing a teaser sketch that indeed showed a low, sleek coupe-like hatchback with large wheels.

Then Audi CEO Rupert Stadler told Auto Express at the Shanghai Auto Show that the Q6 would have at least 500 km (310 miles) of range, calling that distance "a must."

Stadler was likely quoting range numbers from the European test cycle, so the rated range of the Audi Q6 on the U.S. EPA cycle might come in at more like 250 miles.

Still, that's within range of the Tesla Model S, whose most recent entry-level 70D model is rated at 240 miles.

2015 Tesla Model S 70D, Apr 2015 [photo: David Noland]

Stadler also suggested that the Q6 would arrive in 2018 or 2019, which he called the right time for launch when anticipated DC quick-charging infrastructure (using the CCS protocol adopted by all German and U.S. makers) would be ready.

But industry insiders doubt that Audi will go to the expense that BMW has in developing a unique platform or "architecture" for the Q6, which will be a low-volume vehicle for the automaker.

Instead, it will likely be adapted from the company's new SUV platforms--whether the Q5 mid-size or the Q7 large SUV that was unveiled in February.

It would thus follow the model of the Audi R8 e-tron, which is adapted from the second-generation R8 two-seat sport coupe.

Audi R8 e-tron

Mercedes-Benz is rumored to be developing its own platform--codenamed "EcoLuxe"--for future electric and hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles.

But so far Audi's parent, the VW Group, appears to be sticking with adaptations of existing vehicles and platforms to economize on development costs.

2016 Audi R8 Debuts e-tron Model Offer 280 Mile Range

The 2016 Audi R8 debuted as the vanguard of the second generation of the highly successful German supercar. Though the new R8 design is anchored by a 5.2 liter V10 making 610 horsepower, the R8 e-tron can be special ordered with an all-electric drivetrain that’s almost as fast as the Tesla P85D.

There’s so much more to the 2016 Audi R8 though than just a choice of conventional or electric drivetrains. A new Audi Space Frame (AFS) combines aluminum and carbon fiber-reinforced plastics to form a high-strength, low-weight frame supporting this high-tech supercar. Greater use of low-weight materials enables a relatively svetel curb weight of just 3,205 pounds,down from as much as 3,847 pounds.

Lower weight means better fuel economy, and even the top-of-the-line 610 horsepower V10 manages to be about 10% more fuel efficient than the outgoing motor. Direct injection, start/stop, and even cylinder deactivation all contribute to a slightly less-thirsty car. There’s also a less-powerful version of the V10 available, to the tune of just 540 horsepower. The e-tron electric drivetrain makes just 456 horsepower in comparison, but the 679 lb-ft of torque of way more than either V10, which offer “only” 398 to 413 lb-ft of pulling power. Top speed is limited to either 130 or 155 MPH, and the R8 e-tron can zip from 0 to 62 MPH in just 3.9 seconds. That’s not quite as quick as either the Tesla P85D or the V10 powered R8, which Audi says can reach 62 MPH in just 3.2 seconds.

The real story here though is the claimed 280 miles of driving range. Audi says that it has nearly doubled the energy density of the original R8 e-tron battery pack from 84 Wh/kg to 154 Wh/kg, without increasing the size of the battery pack. Though at first glance this would appear to out-range the Tesla Model S with its maximum of 265 miles per charge, the European testing scale (which Audi’s claim is almost certainly based on) is much more generous in its range estimations. For example, the 82-mile Nissan LEAF here in the U.S. gets a 124-mile rating in the U.K.

Even so, the 2016 R8 e-tron becomes just the second production electric vehicle to offer more than 200 miles of driving range per charge. Sure, customers will have to special order one, and it will probably be hella-expensive (yes, hella), but given the will-they-won’t-they song and dance Audi put us through, I’m just happy the R8 e-tron exists at all.

Audi Bringing 300-Mile EV To Detroit Auto Show

The Tesla Model S has taken a bite out of German luxury car sales, and Audi is ready to respond with an electric car of its own. Audi has announced plans to debut a 300-mile electric car in January at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit to rival Tesla, reports Seeking Alpha.

Audi CTO Ulrich Hackenberg told a gathering of press types at the LA Auto Show that the automaker was prepping not just one, but two all-electric long-range cars for sale. We already know about one of them, an electric Audi R8 e-tron with a range of between 200 and 300 miles per charge (depending on the test cycle). This electric sports car has been cancelled twice, but new battery chemistry helped boost range and top speed to Audi’s specifications. So while production is likely to be extremely limited, this will be Audi’s first foray into the world of electric vehicles.

Perhaps of more interest though is Hackenberg’s admission that Audi is also working on an electric “family car” with seating for five and even more driving range than the R8 e-tron. The German automaker is aiming for a real-world driving range of 300 miles, and Audi’s parent company Volkswagen has said that long-range batteries offer “great potential” to the automotive industry. The most likely recipient of the new battery pack is probably going to be either the A6 or A8, which are best positioned to compete with the Tesla Model S, though there’s no saying for sure that Audi hasn’t developed a completely platform for it’s future electric vehicles.

Having signed a battery deal worth billions of dollars with LG Chem and committing to adding plug-in versions of every model in its lineup, it seems the German automaker’s commitment to plug-in cars is a lot more solid than some people give it credit for.

We’ll get a first look at Audi’s electric future at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit this January.

Source: Gas2

Audi Confirms Electric R8 e-Tron, Also 280-Mile Family Electric Car In 2017

Audi R8 e-tron track drive, Berlin Tempelhof Airport

The Audi R8 e-tron electric sports car has been cancelled and revived numerous times, but now it appears that not only will the e-tron enter production, it will also be the stepping stone to a more mainstream electric car.

At this week's 2014 Los Angeles Auto Show, Audi officials indicated that the carmaker is planning an all-electric family car with around 280 miles of range for 2017.

The R8 e-tron will come first, though, perhaps as early as the 2015 Detroit Auto Show in January, according to a report from Seeking Alpha.

The two-seat coupe--along with a rumored plug-in hybrid version--will be based on the platform of the next-generation R8, also set to debut next year.

2016 Audi A3 e-tron - First Drive

Audi technical chief Ulrich Hackenberg has previously said the R8 e-tron will have 250 miles of range--up from the 130 miles of the first prototype cars.

However, speaking to Auto Express at the L.A. show, Hackenberg also said that Audi will leverage experience gained during development of the R8 e-tron for a more practical family car.

With an anticipated 280 miles of range, the car will likely target the Tesla Model S when when it arrives in calendar year 2017, perhaps as a 2018 model.

Audi believes it can achieve that range target thanks to anticipated improvements in battery energy density and electric-motor efficiency.

Audi's parent Volkswagen Group claims to be developing motors that are five times more efficient than the one used in the current VW e-Golf.

No other details have been confirmed, including whether the electric car will be based on one of Audi's existing models, or be a completely new addition to the lineup.

2016 Audi A3 e-tron - First Drive

Either way, it seems Audi is now targeting Tesla directly, and it's not alone.

The luxury brand is also thought to be developing an all-electric version of its upcoming Q8 "four-door coupe utility vehicle," which would seem to have the Tesla Model X in its sights.

Meanwhile rivals BMW and Mercedes-Benz reportedly have plans for larger, more luxurious electric cars, while Porsche may build an all-electric version of its planned "Pajun" (Panamera Junior) sedan.

Will these new models change the electric-car landscape in a few years' time? Or will Tesla simply fire back with an even more competitive product?

Stay tuned.

Source: Green Car Reports