Audi is displaying no less than four new plug-in
hybrid models at the Geneva Motor Show, namely the Audi A6L 55 TFSIe Quattro,
A7 55 TFSIe Quattro, A8L 60 TFSIe Quattro, and the Q5 55 TFSIe Quattro. The quartet are confusingly
named, but they do represent some of the most enticing variants of each
respective model.
Powering the Audi A6L 55 TFSIe Quattro, A7 55 TFSIe
Quattro, and Q5 55 TFSIe Quattro are powertrains outputting 363 hp and 500 Nm of torque. Lesser ’50 TFSIe’ models will also be offered for the
A6, A7, and Q5. These models have 295 hp and 450 Nm of twisting
force. All models use a 14.1 kWh battery and have an all-electric range of 40 km.
Perhaps owing to the A8’s larger size and position
in the market, it uses a powerful 3.0-liter V6 paired with a synchronous
electric motor to offer up 443 hp and 699 Nm of torque. Like the
A6, A7, and Q5 models, it can recover energy under braking.
There are three driving modes offered in the four
vehicles. The first, dubbed EV mode, runs the vehicles solely on electric
power. Switch over to Auto mode and the system intelligently uses the electric
motor and combustion engine for maximum efficiency. Last but not least is Hold
mode where the powertrain operates in the most efficient way to maintain the
charge status of the battery.
In addition to these modes, four additional models
dubbed Comfort, Efficiency, Auto, and Dynamic are available through Audi’s
familiar drive select dynamic handling system.
