Everything leading up to this drive of the $2 million prototype for the 2012 Audi E-tron started back after the 2003 Detroit Auto Show. That's when the Audi bosses decided to go ahead with the entire R8 program, something that has since substantially altered what we had formerly come to expect from Audi headquarters in Ingolstadt.
Nowadays, every company on earth dreams of a halo car as effective as the Audi R8. In the meantime, Audi has already flung itself far into the future to milk the R8 success for all it's worth. Besides the RSQ coupe made for the movie i, Robot in 2004 and the 414-horsepower R8 with 4.2-liter FSI V8 that was introduced in 2007, we now have the righteous 518-hp R8 with 5.2-liter FSI V10 as well as even a racing GT4 version. Right in between all of these, we experimented in 2008 with the 493-hp R8 TDI Le Mans concept with its twin-turbo V12 diesel providing an insane 737 pound-feet of torque.
It's sad that the inability to build a suitably compact and cost-effective transmission for the TDI car has killed that project. But what better way to get over the loss of the oil burner than to create a transmission-free electric R8? And if you thought the TDI's 737 lb-ft of torque between 1,750 and 3,500 rpm was good, the 2012 Audi E-tron squashes that number with 3,319 lb-ft of torque at zero rpm from four electric motors. This time, however, the experiment is coming to market and Audi also promises not to wimp out and stuff a range-extending internal-combustion engine into the mix as if we were dealing with some kind of Chevy Volt.
Totally Amped
While it's tempting to label the 2012 Audi E-tron Concept as a thinly disguised second-generation R8, Audi spokesperson Josef Schlossmacher tells us, "There are about five or six more years left for the first-generation R8 and a second-generation car will likely look much different from these subtler changes on the E-tron." Less subtle changes for the E-tron include, of course, the elimination of the R8 drivetrain — engine, exhaust, transmission, all-wheel-drive system and fuel tank. "The only straight carryover to the E-tron from the R8," says E-tron technical director Thomas Kräuter, "is the suspension scheme and mounting points."
The most satisfying statement to make regarding the drive itself is that the E-tron — company code name "F09," for "Frankfurt 2009" — drives like a final pre-production prototype and not like a pasted-together show-stand darling that falls apart at the first thump. For our driving route along the California coast, the E-tron has been painted an eye-grabbing Speed Red and gleams with chrome and lots of anodized aluminum.
Achim Badstübner, the leader of exterior design at Audi, tells us, "My only regret on this driving version of the E-tron is that the 19-inch show wheels had to be swapped with the standard wheels of the R8 V10." For sheer spectacle, we also miss the ambitious, 80-spoke 19-inch alloys of the showcar since they lend visual electricity to the electric beast. Meanwhile, this prototype's overall length and height shrinks versus the R8 V8. Overall length is reduced 6.8 inches to just 167.7 inches, while overall height decreases 0.9 inch to 48.4 inches. The wheelbase comes down just 2 inches to 102.3 inches. With width staying roughly the same at 74.8 inches, the 2012 Audi E-tron comes off as more sinister than the standard R8s, hunkered down and ready to pounce.
Electricity in the Air
Now for the living and breathing exterior. Starting in front, the grille and LED headlight executions are signs of things to come for all Audis, of course. As far as the E-tron goes, the grille intake is covered by a movable Plexiglas sheet that automatically moves inward whenever the car's sensors determine that the electric motors need cooling. When nothing is too hot, the clear cover stays forward to improve the already slippery aerodynamics.
An even better show is put on by the side and overhead cooling intakes. Again, whenever the battery's rear-mounted radiator screams for a cool breeze, the lateral intakes behind the door openings suddenly appear as the composite panels deflect elegantly inward. Above the heads of the two occupants there are multiple aluminum runners over the "engine" compartment, and they are nudged upward by an actuator to reveal a gorgeous air intake. The heat exchanger for the climate control gets chilled by new intakes beneath the headlights, while small upper intakes just aft of the passenger windows add to the cooling.
Batteries Included
The provider of the battery pack is Sanyo and the assembly of lithium-ion cells, inverter and ancillaries weighs in at 1,036 pounds. With all the mechanical bits for the internal combustion drivetrain now set aside, engineer Kräuter says that his team then decided to place the battery assembly upright and flush against the rear firewall. "This helps keep front-to-rear weight distribution at 42:58," he says, then adds, "and satisfying the designers' packaging wishes." Development for the 2012 Audi E-tron drivetrain started in November of 2007 and Kräuter and his team examined the best that was available from 26 suppliers.
On a mega-charger of 400 volts on a European electrical circuit, a fill-up of 53 kilowatt hours (42.4 kWh are usable) takes just 2.5 hours. On a Euro household grid of 230 volts, you're looking at 6-8 hours to get fully amped. In the U.S., the dream of charging this super battery at home overnight is still a stretch, our 110-volt grid requiring a full 16 hours to get you on your way if you need the full charge to give you a 154-mile road trip. The plug-in point on the car is right in the middle of the rear panel behind the stylized aluminum runners of the overhead intake. A green-lit indicator shows the percentage of charge you have left, as well as how many hours it should take to fully recharge.
The electric motors give 309 hp, but the big deal is the ocean of torque in this electric notion of all-wheel drive.
Surrounded by Science
The 2012 Audi E-tron Concept drives like a production R8, with the characteristics of an electric powertrain. Nominally the four electric motors provide 309 hp, but the big deal is the ocean of torque that confronts us in this electronic notion of all-wheel drive. While certainly not in their final tune, the motors perform exquisitely and with relatively little whine from the frantically spinning spindles. The electromechanical steering feels just right when it's on center, while the turning radius fits in with the squirreliest of European city streets. R8 suspension is matched with 235/35R19 91Y front and 295/30R19 100Y rear Pirelli P Zero tires.
With the torque from the four electric motors being programmed to vector among all four tires so effectively and the regenerative alternator slowing things down noticeably whenever you let off the amp pedal, it would seem like the brake-by-wire carbon-ceramic brakes could seem like showcar overkill. But the important thing here is that they reduce unsprung weight, which saps less energy from the battery. We are told that the production car will have a Normal mode that deactivates regenerative activity so that the car coasts like a normal car off-throttle. Dynamic mode will fully engage the regenerative system.
The driver's instrument interface with the two circular dials to the sides and the main MMI screen right in the center is another future aesthetic that we'll be seeing on several Audis. Working the new touch controls of the next-gen MMI is easy and clear. The big screen also takes you through the all-systems check at ignition, checking front motors ("Motoren vorne"), rear motors ("Motoren hinten") and tire pressures (36.3 psi).
The elegant atmosphere inside the cabin is pleasant to be sure, and the two custom-designed minimalist seats are very supportive. Cameras replace all normal mirror views and they are fairly useless in the practical sense, though we know that technology is never going away and is improving all the time. There being no driveshaft down the middle of the car, we gain a lot of central body space by having a skinny tunnel, and this is definitely an improvement.
Electric Avenue
The physical feeling of driving serious electric projects like the 2012 Audi E-tron Concept or Tesla Roadster is something we're getting very accustomed to and starting to really enjoy. The silence is pleasing stuff, though the background whine of the electric motors is an ambient sound we would love to see lowered at least by an octave, as it really does make you think of a very large golf cart, which is not a good thing.
What's best in these high-performance electrics is the hole-shot abilities in traffic. Particularly between cruising speeds of 20-50 mph, the amp-pedal response with the electric motors is superb. It's also a fun thing in traffic, as it is so damned easy and other drivers don't expect it at all from such a quietly sexy thing. All that's missing is that deep performance exhaust sound. With default traction programmed to be 70 percent to the rear motors, the feeling, again, is very familiar to the R8 experience.
With a curb weight of 3,527 pounds, only 88 pounds more than a base R8, acceleration to 100 km/h (62 mph) from a standstill is estimated at 4.8 seconds, though a drag strip-style rolling start in the E-tron should get us a 4.5-second launch to 60 mph. Given that electric motors sap batteries exponentially at higher speeds, v-max is here limited to 124 mph. The full 3,319 lb-ft of torque stays available up to 87 mph, at which point it drops to 2,803 lb-ft and then continues petering out, at which point the 309 hp is what keeps you going, though frankly sucking out masses of battery juice in the process, just as with any electric vehicle.
Shocking Price?
Not really. When we ran estimates past the Audi prophets on hand, the number that keeps getting sympathy seems to be about $160,000, or just under the estimated price for the R8 V10.
North American deliveries for the 2012 Audi R8e (as it may be called) are a company priority, and the first units could start arriving at the end of 2011. We'll also be seeing soon after that a roadster R8 electric for those who like to really hear the non-exhaust as they beam around the countryside.
Edmunds attended a manufacturer-sponsored event, to which selected members of the press were invited, to facilitate this report.
Add A Comment »
jmccusker says:
04:46 AM, 11/27/2011
Audi deserves a lot of credit for producing their first electric car, but I think they've missed the mark by targetting buyers who can afford the $160k+ price tag. The A4/A6 line is what they really need to target. I'm sure they know this already but can't get the price-point low enough but this should be their priority. Also, perhaps it's me, but the minimalist interior looks more like its unfinished rather than an evolution in design. I don't expect to see too many of these cars on US roads anytime soon. This is unfortunate since there is a growing interest and willingness to pay for electric vehicles in the US market. My advice to Audi is to move as much of this tech into their A4 line while keeping as much of the current aestetics.
trackaholic says:
12:14 AM, 12/14/2009
Just wanted to agree on the torque thing. Really wish the automotive "news" sites would do a better job filtering the auto manufacturer's BS when writing these articles.
The eTron makes 3300 lb-ft at the wheels, but so does my 350Z (~270 @ the motor X 3.795 first gear X 3.538 final drive = 3600 lb-ft).
The big difference is that the electric motors maintain that torque over a wider speed range than most cars (my Z shifts to second @ ~35 MPH, at which piont the torque at the wheels drops off to ~2200). So the great thing about the eTron (and the Tesla) is that the "first gear" acceleration lasts all the way to ~90 MPH, and then gradually tapers off.
Anyhow, just wish the news sites would quit going gaga over the 3300 lbs-ft figure, and instead give a better description of what is going on.
-T
billymay says:
09:31 AM, 12/11/2009
Audi is on a roll. I like how chrome is making a comeback after decades of painted plastic. And it's hard to argue with the torque figures, or the prospect of zero maintenance. Forget the Prius -- this is how to make electric cars exciting.
Granted Porsche will have access to this technology now that it has been acquired by VW-Audi, as will Lamborghini. That may leave Ferrari out in the cold.
70opelgt says:
09:41 PM, 12/09/2009
Read the AutoBlog article on it. It makes it all clear concerning the torque. If all vehicles cited torque as measured at the wheels, the figures would be about tenfold what we usually see. It's just a false figure and Audi Edmunds should really clear it up.
firstclass says:
08:50 PM, 12/08/2009
@-icecubefosho
"it's still just an Audi, and all it'll ever be is an Audi"............................. "A spade a spade","people are people" , "A rose by any other name" ... what are you trying to say? start making sense please. What am i suppose to take from your mindless rant? its just another Clichés.
icecubefosho says:
03:21 PM, 12/08/2009
Whenever someone says to me "Wow, look at that Audi!", I say to them, "yeah, but remember, it's still just an Audi, and all it'll ever be is an Audi".
An Audi is the sort of thing you would use to cut up and build a raft from to escape from a desert island. It has no other use.
An Audi given to a teenager on his or her 18th birthday and crashed the next night has not been wasted. An Audi given away is no sacrifice. An Audi received as a gift is an insult. Every time an Audi crashes, or is stolen and torched by criminals, or put in the crusher at the end of a short useless life, a bird sings
DCuerpoJr says:
01:55 PM, 12/08/2009
I'd rather own this over the Tesla.
mercedesfan says:
01:18 PM, 12/08/2009
I think I can shed some light on the torque conundrum. The Etron does not makes its 3319 lb-ft at the wheels like we are accustomed to seeing torque figures measured. However, to Audi's credit it also doesn't have a driveshaft so it's incredibly difficult to accurately measure torque (hence the Chevy Malibu example is also flawed). Even so, the torque doesn't go straight to the wheels as some people have suggested, electric motors are awful at transmitting torque (because they produce everything at 0rpm) so they need complex grear trains to provide the necessary reduction (or "gearing down") to actually transmit power. I would think the Etron produces torque at the wheels with a value anywhere from 300-450 lb-ft. That is without any intimate knowledge with the vehicle and is purely speculation, though.
discoholic says:
11:36 AM, 12/08/2009
"Etron" is French for turd. (No, I am not kidding.) I'm certain French visitors at the Frankfurt show were suitably impressed.
brn says:
09:08 AM, 12/08/2009
"$160,000, or just under the estimated price for the R8 V10."
I love this part. An EV that costs less than the ICE? That's one overpriced ICE.