Audi R8 e-tron - Full Details

Audi has released today the full 2012 Audi R8 e-tron specification together with a new video of its electric super car.

The Audi R8 e-tron is a high-powered sports car with a purely electric drive. Its four engines provide a total power of 230 kW (313 hp) for splendid driving performance. They can be individually actuated – for an entirely new developmental stage of the permanent four-wheel drive.

The four asynchronous motors – two each on the front and rear axles – make the Audi R8 e-tron a quattro. Power is transmitted to the wheels via the single-staged transmission and short input shafts. With a peak output of 230 kW (313 hp) and with up to 4500 Nm (3319.03 lb-ft) torque at the wheels available from a standstill, the R8 e-tron delivers breathtaking driving performance. It catapults from 0 to 100 km/h (62.14 mph) in just 4.8 seconds.

The technology demonstrator enveloped by the R8 belongs to the top league of electric sports cars. Its package does justice to the specific qualities of the new technology in all details. The large, fluid-cooled lithium-ion battery and the power electronics, for example, lie directly behind the passenger compartment. The result is an optimal center of gravity and a load distribution of 42:58 between the front and rear axles – just like the series production R8 with its 5.2 liter FSI.

The R8 e-tron provides a glimpse into Audi's philosophy of electric mobility. Extending far beyond the battery technology and the replacement of an internal combustion engine by an electric driveline, the concept is holistic. The complex interaction of all components crucially affects the factors of efficiency, range and road capability.

Audi will be bringing a limited edition of the R8 e-tron to the roads in late 2012. It will be built at quattro GmbH in Neckarsulm, which has extensive experience in the construction of exclusive sports cars.

The Energy Supply
The rechargeable lithium-ion battery installed in the Audi R8 e-tron consists of single cells with a high energy density connected in parallel and in series, and ensures a high output. Under all the general constraints, an intelligent battery management system makes the energy optimally available. The 550 kg (1212.54 lb) battery stores 53 KWh of energy, with the usable share amounting to 42.4 kWh. In the final design stage of the Audi e-tron, the battery will enable a range of about 250 km (155.34 miles) when operated in the NEDC cycle.

For recharging the battery a household current with 230 volts suffices; the process takes six to eight hours for a fully discharged battery. A high-voltage current will reduce the charging time to about two and a half hours. Thanks to recuperation the battery of the Audi R8 e-tron is also recharged on the road during the braking and deceleration phases – the four electric motors are able to recover a considerable part of the energy.