Following its world debut at the Monterey Car Week,
the new Audi PB18 E-Tron concept traveled to Paris for its European premiere. The battery-electric supercar
study is reportedly previewing the replacement of the Audi R8, featuring three
electric motors with a combined output of 671 hp and 612 lb-ft of torque. The
front axle is powered by a single 201 hp electric motor while the rear axle gets
the other two, complete with 604 hp.
Audi claims that the PB18 E-Tron’s electric powertrain
is able to deliver peak power of 764 hp for short bursts, making it capable of a
0-100 km/h in less than two seconds.
The highlight of Audi’s electric supercar concept
lies in the battery pack; the German company says that the PB18 E-Tron uses an
innovative and relatively light solid-state battery pack with 95kWh in
capacity, contributing in a total weight of less than 1,550 kg.
The design is unsurprisingly rather sharp, featuring
a long roof line that resembles that of a shooting brake concept, widely
extended wheel arches and a pretty large interpretation of Audi’s Singleframe
front grille.
The interior adopts a variable layout, meaning it
can be converted from a regular two-seater to a single-seater with the driver
sitting in the middle. This was made possible thanks to the adoption of fully
electronic steering, throttle and braking operations. The long roof line also
gives the PB18 E-Tron a rather large boot capacity, with 470 liters on offer.
