CHAdeMO DC fast-charging to run at up to 150 kilowatts, starting in 2017

DC fast charging 2015 Kia Soul EV

As more longer-range electric vehicles go on sale, the charging infrastructure that supports them will need to adapt to bigger batteries.

When it comes to DC fast charging, more powerful charging stations will be needed to charge electric cars with larger-capacity battery packs within a reasonable amount of time.

With that in mind, the consortium behind the CHAdeMO fast-charging standard plans to move toward stations that operate at 150 kilowatts, from the current 50-kW average.

The move to higher-power charging was announced at the CHAdeMO Association General Assembly in Tokyo last week, along with station upgrade plans.

An amendment to the CHAdeMO technical protocol accounting for higher-power charging will be released later this year, while the first 150-kW stations will be installed in 2017, a CHAdeMO Association statement said.

The CHAdeMO protocol and connector set is favored by Asian manufacturers, and is currently used by the Nissan Leaf, Mitsubishi i-MiEV, and Kia Soul EV in the U.S. market.

NRG eVgo electric-car charging station

Plugs and other equipment will remain the same, so cars set up for both the current 50-kW standard and the 150-kW standard will be able to use the same stations.

The stations will switch to a lower-power setting for current cars that are configured only to charge at 50 kW.

The higher power will allow cars with larger battery packs to charge in roughly the same amount of time as cars with smaller packs can on the current system—generally up to 80 percent capacity in 30 minutes.

The move to 150-kW charging also positions CHAdeMO to compete better with other fast-charging standards.

Tesla's "Supercharger" network currently runs at 125 kW, and has been designed to run at up to 150 kW.

Audi and Porsche have also discussed 150-kW charging on the Combined Charging Standard (CCS) for their upcoming electric cars.

2016 Nissan Leaf

Audi will launch an all-electric SUV based on the e-Tron Quattro concept from the 2015 Frankfurt Motor Show in 2018.

Porsche will launch a production version of the Mission E sedan—another 2015 Frankfurt concept—by the end of the decade.

CHAdeMO needs 150-kW stations to compete with the other standards, but it also has plans to potentially leapfrog them.

Officials plan to conduct studies for 350-kW charging, but will only commercialize it if there is sufficient perceived market demand.

A decision on 350-kW charging is expected to be made around 2018.

Audi E-Tron Quattro Concept is a beautiful 311-mile EV beast

The barrage has started. Volkswagen opened up the 2015 Frankfurt Motor Show with a number of exciting plug-in vehicle concepts. The Audi entrant, one of the few we had hints of before the show started, is a "sporty" electric SUV called the E-Tron Quattro concept. You can probably guess who the target competition is for this luxury EV with an expected 311-mile range.

Of course, as a concept, what we see today is not the vehicle that Audi will be selling when its all-electric SUV comes to market in "early 2018." Still, this pretty-in-blue design "provides a concrete foretaste" of the SUV that will hit the market, according to Ulrich Hackenberg, a member of the Audi Board of Management for Technical Development.

So, then, what's the E-Tron Quattro concept taste like? How about three electric motors (one up front, two on the rear axle) that offer a total output of 320 kW (429 horsepower) under normal circumstances and up to 370 kW (496 hp) using boost. The E-Tron Quattro's boost also offer's 590 pound-feet of torque.
All of that power is good enough to push the sleek concept to 100 kilometers per hour (62.1 miles per hour) in 4.6 seconds. Top speed will be electronically limited to 130.5 mph. This isn't Tesla ludicrous territory, but is should feel plenty peppy on the road.

As for charging, the concept offers a few ways to fill up the 95-kWh battery pack. There's the expected SAE Combo/Combined Charging System (CCS) outlet as well as wireless induction charging. Audi says that a 150-kW DC fast charger can fill up the pack in around 50 minutes, but good luck finding a plug that can handle that much power – even in 2018.

The concept has other tricks, like Matrix OLED lights (debuting on this concept) throughout and a solar roof that will put a little bit of energy into the battery. You can read all of the nitty-gritty details in the press release below and flip through the gallery above to see the concept from just about every possible angle.

Related Video:

Audi e-tron quattro concept: Electric driving pleasure with no compromises

A foretaste of the production version: The electric-powered Audi e-tron quattro concept
Range of more than 500 kilometers (310.7 mi) for full everyday usability
New concept combines aerodynamics and creative design solutions

Flow-enhanced design with a drag coefficient of 0.25; a powerful, all-electric e-tron quattro drive with up to 370 kW – Audi is presenting the Audi e-tron quattro concept at the International Motor Show (IAA) 2015 in Frankfurt. The car is the company's statement about the future of electric mobility: It is sporty, efficient and suitable for everyday use.

"Audi will present an all-electric, luxury-class sport SUV in early 2018. The Audi e‑tron quattro concept provides a concrete foretaste of this," says Prof. Dr. Ulrich Hackenberg, Member of the Audi Board of Management for Technical Development. "It combines driving pleasure with great range, an expressive design and excellent comfort."

Electric power 

The Audi e‑tron quattro concept uses the power of three electric motors: One electric motor drives the front axle, the two others act on the rear axle. Total output is 320 kW. The driver can even mobilize 370 kW and over 800 Nm (590.0 lb-ft) of torque temporarily while boosting. The concept study thus performs like a sports car. When the driver floors the right pedal, the Audi e‑tron quattro concept sprints from a standstill to 100 km/h (62.1 mph) in 4.6 seconds and quickly reaches the electronically governed top speed of 210 km/h (130.5 mph).

The concept with three electric motors which Audi is presenting for the first time makes the technology study an e‑tron quattro. An intelligent drive management system controls the interplay between them as appropriate for the situation. The focus here is on the greatest possible efficiency. The driver decides on the degree of recuperation, the driving program S or D and the mode of the Audi drive select system.

During sporty driving on a winding road, the Torque Control Manager actively distributes the power between the rear wheels as necessary. This torque vectoring provides for maximum dynamics and stability.

The large lithium-ion battery is integrated into the floor of the passenger compartment. It gives the Audi e‑tron quattro concept a balanced axle load distribution and a low center of gravity – prerequisites for its dynamic handling. The battery's capacity of 95 kWh enables a range of more than 500 kilometers (310.7 mi). The Combined Charging System (CCS) enables charging with DC or AC electrical current. A full charge with DC electrical current at a charging column with an output of 150 kW takes just around 50 minutes. As an alternative, the study is equipped with Audi Wireless Charging technology for contactless induction charging. The charging process is very convenient. The Audi e‑tron quattro concept uses a system for piloted parking that guides it to the proper position at the charging plate. In addition, a large solar roof provides electricity for the drive system battery on sunny days.

The chassis also expresses the high-tech character of the concept study. The adaptive air suspension sport, which features controlled damping, lowers the body at higher speeds to reduce drag. The dynamic-all-wheel steering combines a dynamic steering system on the front axle with a steering system for the rear wheels. Depending on speed and the driving situation, they steer either opposite or in the same direction as the front wheels. The Audi e‑tron quattro concept thus reacts even more spontaneously and stably, and is also very manoeuvrable at low speeds.

Aerodynamic: The exterior design

The Audi e‑tron quattro concept harmoniously combines the design with the aerodynamics and all-electric drive system. The five-door technology study is 4.88 meters (16.0 ft) long, 1.93 meters (6.3 ft) wide and just 1.54 meters (5.1 ft) high. Its coupe-like silhouette with the extremely flat greenhouse that tapers strongly toward the rear lends it a very dynamic appearance. The car's drag coefficient measures just 0.25 – a new best for the SUV segment, where figures are usually considerably over 0.30.

All of this contributes considerably to the long range of more than 500 kilometers (310.7 miles). At speeds from 80 km/h (49.7 mi), electrically actuated aerodynamic elements on the engine hood, the flanks and at the rear end direct the flow of air as needed to improve the flow through and around the vehicle. This is one example of the intensive development work in the wind tunnel. Wind noise is low on board the car, and there are no engine noises in an electric car in any case. The fascination of electric driving unfolds in near total silence.

The vertical separating edges on the side panels and the fully enclosed floor pan with its newly designed microstructures contribute to reducing drag. Cameras replace the exterior mirrors – another contribution to the excellent aerodynamics and also a foretaste of the future of driving.

All the main lighting functions at the front of the car use Matrix laser technology. The bottom section houses a new, distinctive lighting signature comprising five lighting elements. Each of these combines an LED luminary with an extremely flat OLED element (organic light-emitting diode). Audi is developing Matrix OLED technology for use in production vehicles and is showing it for the first time in the concept study at the IAA.

The rear lights also comprise two sections. Each of the top zones features nine red OLED units for the tail light function, with three more below.

Deep integration: The interior

The package of the Audi e‑tron quattro concept enables a spacious, comfortable interior for four persons and 615 liters (21.7 cu ft) of luggage. The interior has a light and open feel to it; its architecture melds harmoniously with the operating and display concept. All displays in the interior use OLED technology. The extremely thin films can be cut to any desired shape.

The new Audi virtual cockpit curved OLED is a further development of the Audi virtual cockpit that debuted in production vehicles in 2014. To the left and right below the fully-digital instrument cluster are two touch displays with black glass and a subtle aluminum frame. The driver controls the lights and the systems for piloted driving with the left display. The large display on the right is for media and navigation management. The steering wheel serves as an alternate control level. Its spokes are equipped with contoured touch surfaces.

Below the selector lever on the center tunnel console are two more OLED displays for the drive system status, climate control and freely programmable information functions. The curved displays in the front section of the doors serve as digital exterior mirrors.

The two rear passengers sit on comfortable individual seats. They can use the OLED displays on the center console to configure the climate control and infotainment for their area or to exchange data with the driver. An LTE module connects the Audi e‑tron quattro concept with the Internet. The connectivity features in the study are cutting edge.

The zFAS: Nerve center for piloted driving

The concept study is equipped with all the technologies that Audi has developed for piloted driving: radar sensors, a video camera, ultrasonic sensors and a laser scanner. The data these supply come together in the central driver assistance controller (zFAS) in the luggage compartment. It computes a complete model of the car's surroundings in real time and makes this information available to all assistance systems and the systems for piloted driving. These technologies are also nearly ready for use in production vehicles.

Audi will show all-electric 'sporty SUV' in Frankfurt

2016 TT

MSRP $46,400

EXPLORE 

 

REVIEWS 

 

BUILD 

MORE PHOTOS

• 2016 Audi TT Roadster: Second Drive
 
• 2016 Audi TT: Second Drive
 
• Audi TT Clubsport Turbo
• 1982 Audi Quattro A1 Group B ex-Hannu Mikkola
 
• 1985 Audi Sport Quattro
 
• 2015 Audi R18 e-tron Quattro

• Image Credit: Audi

Audi is launching a fully electric crossover in 2018, and the brand is finally giving the world a look at what to expect with the E-Tron Quattro concept at the 2015 Frankfurt Motor Show. Previewed ahead of the event in these five sketches, the vehicle packs a heap of cutting-edge tech, including beautiful matrix laser OLED headlights, to be as efficient as possible. Audi maintains that it offers a range of over 311 miles, too.

For such a green model, the design is surprisingly aggressive with a upright grille in front and angular panels elsewhere. The rear sketch shows the design tapering at the back to improve aerodynamics, though. Active aero parts at the front, sides, and rear further let the E-Tron Quattro concept slice through the air. When combined with a flat underbody, the drag coefficient is claimed to be a segment-best 0.25 cd. Audi also asserts the length is between a Q5 and Q7, which lends credence to speculation that the production version might be called the Q6.

Underneath the muscular design is Audi's MLB 2 platform from the latest Q7. Three electric motors provide the all-wheel drive propulsion: one at the front and two on the rear axle. Located underneath the passenger compartment is a lithium-ion battery that uses cells from LG Chem and Samsung SDI.

The interior seats four, and the driver is nestled into a wrap-around cockpit with a high center console. The front displays use OLEDs with gesture controls, and the rear passengers also get their own infotainment systems.

Outlook on series production – the Audi e-tron quattro concept at the IAA 2015

• The latest battery technology and top aerodynamics ensure a range of more than 500 kilometers (310 miles)

• Sporty SUV with all-electric drive in series production from 2018

Ingolstadt/Frankfurt am Main, August 19, 2015 – Electric driving at Audi is a pleasure, not a compromise. The brand is demonstrating this with the

Audi e-tron quattro concept at the International Motor Show (IAA) 2015 in Frankfurt. The sporty SUV provides an outlook on the brand 's first large-series electric car.

The Audi e-tron quattro concept is designed from the ground up as an electric car and proves to be pioneering in its segment at the very first glance. It follows the Audi "Aerosthetics" concept, combining technical measures for reducing aerodynamic drag with creative design solutions. Movable aerodynamic elements at the front, on the sides and at the rear improve the air flow around the car. The aerodynamically optimized underbody is completely closed. With a cd value of 0.25, the car sets a new record in the SUV segment. This contributes considerably to the long range of more than 500 kilometers (310 miles).

The study is based on the second-generation modular longitudinal platform, which provides considerable scope for the drive system and package. Its length is between that of the Audi Q5 and the Q7. Its typical SUV body and flat, coupe-like cabin give the Audi e-tron quattro concept a very dynamic appearance. The spacious interior offers room for four people.

The large lithium-ion battery is positioned between the axles and below the passenger compartment. This installation position provides for a low center of gravity and a balanced axle load distribution. And that gives the car better driving dynamics and driving safety than other vehicles in the segment.

Audi uses its experience with the electrically driven Audi R8 e-tron sports car for the drive system. Three electric motors – one on the front axle and two on the rear axle – drive the Audi e-tron quattro concept. And that makes it an electrified quattro, the e-tron quattro –efficient and dynamic at the same time.