The Audi E-Tron is seeking to accomplish both feats
and the model was recently spotted undergoing testing on the Nürburgring. The design hasn’t changed since the prototype was
unveiled in March and we can see it will have an aerodynamic grille that is
flanked by distinctive headlights and triangular air intakes. The rest of the
design is a mix of crossover and wagon styling cues as Audi wants to embrace
the popularity of crossovers while also benefiting from the improved
aerodynamics that wagons offer.
Audi has been slowing revealing details about the
car and the company has already confirmed the model will have a 95 kWh
lithium-ion battery which will enable the E-Tron to travel more than 400 km in the WLTP driving cycle. An 11 kW AC charger will come standard and
it will enable the model to be charged at up to 2.3 kW when connected to a 230
volt household outlet. When a 400 volt three-phase outlet is used, the model
can be charged at its full 11 kW capacity. Unfortunately, even in the latter
configuration it will take approximately 8.5 hours for the battery to be fully
charged.
Audi will offer a optional “connect charging system” which features an
additional 11 kW charger. The model has also been designed to work with
fast-charging stations that feature a capacity of up to 150 kW. When one of
them is used, Audi says drivers can be ready for the next leg of a
long-distance journey in less than 30 minutes.
Audi hasn’t said much about the E-Tron’s powertrain
lately but the original concept had three electric motors which produced up to
429 hp and 800 Nm of torque. This enabled the
all-wheel drive model to rocket from 0-100 km/h in 4.6 seconds
before hitting a limited top speed of 210 km/h.
The Audi E-Tron will be unveiled
on August 30th and the crossover is scheduled to be launched in Europe before
the end of the year.
