Audi's Four-Motor, Single Battery Electric Supercar: The e-tron

[YSSMAN]

It Aint Easy Being Green, So I'll Be RED

Those with a passion for torque were disappointed when it became clear that Audi was unlikely to ever build a production version of the R8 V12 TDI that was shown at the 2008 Detroit Auto Show. Now the automaker has come back with a new R8-based concept that puts the diesel to shame. The new e-tron packs four electric motors and a lithium-ion battery pack with a fairly tame-sounding 313 hp but an insane 3,319 lb-ft of torque. The run to 62 mph takes 4.8 seconds, but rolling acceleration from 37-75 mph takes just 4.1 seconds thanks to the e-tron's massive amount of twist.

While acknowledging that electric vehicles are still far from economically viable volume production vehicles, Audi is nonetheless working on electric technology, both for hybrids and pure EVs. The pack sports a 53kWh capacity of which 42.4 kWh is usable. The pack weighs in at 1,036 pounds out of a total vehicle weight of 3,527 pounds and is mounted ahead of the rear axle and liquid cooled. Each of the axles sports two electric motors allowing the e-tron to retain Audi's signature quattro all-wheel drive. The e-tron has an estimated range of 154 miles on the EU combined driving cycle

Holy Eff, Batman! We've been kicking the can around about electric sportscars for some time, but this is it. Wowzers. The look overall is kinda silly, but in the end, its pretty awesome. I love it. Every bit of it. Even if I don't like Audi that much.

Debut and Press Release

LIVE reveal here

 

[Joey D]

I don't know how I feel about this, it looks like a Hot Wheels car from the late 80's early 90's, something like how they thought cars would look now. The technology is sort of cool I suppose but really what's the point of an EV when there is no way it would ever become a permanent solution?

 

[Giancarlo]

Are they the new Porsche?

 

[Jim Prower]

Oh. Yay. An Electric R8.

Attempting to figure out the point of the grille. Failing.

 

[Joey D]

Oh. Yay. An Electric R8.

Attempting to figure out the point of the grille. Failing.

Probably be most people instantly hate cars without grilles, it makes them look unnatural. But I do understand your point.

It could have to do with cooling for the electrics or something.

 

[Griffith500]

So, to bring this back from the dead, there's a new video about the "sound design" for Audi's R8 e-tron, supposedly due for production late this year.

Autoblog article with press release
Spyshots, apparently previewing the R8 facelift also due this year.


For a fun comparison, here it is in German.

What's especially bizarre, is that the e-tron still retains an undertone of the V8 (which Audi alludes to in its press release), especially apparent when it's slowing down for the crossing. Once you hear that, it's obvious in the rest of the demonstration, too. Clever buggers.

I'm not sure where I stand with this sort of aural marketing; on the one hand, it can make the increasingly sterile-sounding cars (due to NVH legislation etc.) more interesting on the interior (see F10 M5) and for these electric cars, there's supposedly an additional pedestrian safety benefit, which if true (i.e. not just something we need to get used to), cannot be ignored.
On the other hand, well, it leaves room for typical marketing shenanigans and may also mean that the uniqueness of individual cars' sounds may be lost in the usual, singular "design language" of a given manufacturer, or rather, brand. Promisingly, Audi apparently will tune each of its e-tron cars differently for sound; a unique, "emotional" (market-o-speak, I know) sound is probably especially important for the future of sporty, recreational driving, just as it was in its past.

Any way you look at it, this car is a pretty bold step for the industry.

 

[CodeRedR51]

Sounds like a bad video game.

 

[RocZX]

When I was kid I had an R/C car that made random engine noises, it had similar sound.

 

[Northstar]

Sounds like a bad video game.

Reminds me of Pole Position mixed with sound effects from movies set in the future.

 

[zedextreme8177]

The car just looks, unfinished. It seems like they just tacked on everything to an R8 without bothering to add any details

 

[Dennisch]

I like the rims. And the grill. And 3,319 lb-ft of torque. Holy frikkin' hell.

 

[Joel]

I wonder if those torque figures would lend themselves to an Electric pickup truck in the near future? Imagine how much towing you could do with 3,000 lb-ft of torque...

 

[eSZee]

I wonder if those torque figures would lend themselves to an Electric pickup truck in the near future? Imagine how much towing you could do with 3,000 lb-ft of torque...

It's only an estimated 250ft/lbs, not 3000 or whatever.

The team at Automobile Magazine, initially duped like everyone else, has recognized that Audi was quoting torque measured at the wheels, not at the output shaft – the industry standard. Measuring torque at the wheels takes the multiplication effect of the transmission and final drive gears into account. The resulting figures are generally ten-fold of what they would be at the crank (meaning cars like a 3.6-liter Chevrolet Malibu packs a similar 3,115 lb-ft of torque). Audi's e-tron torque figures are not exactly dishonest, but they are using a completely different evaluation without making mention of it in the press release. Long story short, Automobile estimates the e-tron makes about 252 lb-ft of torque. That is a bit less than the Tesla Roadster's 273 lb-ft.

 

[Griffith500]

Fun fact: A Honda Integra Type R, with the '96 spec gear ratios, puts 568 lbf.ft through its drive shafts in fourth gear at 8500 rpm (120 mph). That's 730 lbf.ft in third (93 mph), 1084 in second (64 mph), 1667 in first (42 mph). That's at peak power, not peak torque (which is 13% higher in the '96 spec at 7200 rpm, 17% higher for the '98 spec at 6200 rpm).
Torque multiplication in action. I just happened to have the figures to hand, but nobody would ever describe the 'Teg as a torque monster.

The fact that the motors are connected directly to the wheels in this R8 makes all the difference here, and means the torque figures cannot be compared to cars with IC engines and gearboxes, which are rated according to the crank speed, not wheel speed.
Also bear in mind that electric motors make their maximum torque when at or near zero speed, and that drops off exponentially with increasing rotation speed. That means that for a car with motors coupled directly to the wheels, it will accelerate best (peak power) somewhere in the middle of the operating range of the motors (i.e. in the middle of the range of the car's speed).

313 bhp / 3527 lbs is the crucial figure; that's as fast as it's ever going to feel, assuming there is no transmission between the motors and wheels. It will be incredibly tractable at low speeds, of course, but no more so than the V8 R8, I'd wager.

EDIT: Beaten. Does it have a transmission per wheel?
Also, the wheel torque figures for the 'Teg are 6% too low; peak power is at 8k, not 8.5k.

 

[Slash]

Ew. I don't like.

 

[AudiMan2011]

Old thread revival commence!

You thought the R8 e-tron was dead? Think again. It's coming back.

A lot of things have happen since this thread died. The e-tron set a Nurburgring record back in June 2012, then was put on ice in May 2013. Now it's set for a comeback.

Autocar
The Audi R8 e-tron will make it into limited-scale production.

Audi has backtracked on an earlier decision to cancel production of the R8 etron, and will now push ahead with small-scale production of the zero-emission two-seater as part of a number of sweeping changes made to its research and engineering operations since the arrival of its new head, Ulrich Hackenberg.

Citing recent advances in lithium-ion battery technology that has reportedly increased its range from an original 215km (134 miles) to close to 400km (248.5 miles), insiders at Audi’s headquarters in Germany suggest the R8 etron will now go into limited production during the latter half of 2014.

The rear-wheel-drive R8 etron is set to act as a halo model for a number of smaller and more affordable new electric-powered Audi models, whose engineering is being overseen by Hackenberg – the man responsible for parent company Volkswagen’s new e-Up and e-Golf, among other hybrid-powered models, including the XL1 and Golf Plug-In Hybrid.

Among the changes made to the R8 etron to enhance its suitability for production is a new lithium battery technology featuring an alternative chemical process and, it is claimed, greater energy density than the original 48.6kWh unit.

Further details remain unclear, although the new car is expected to share the styling of the second-generation R8 – itself due to be launched with conventional petrol engines in 2014. The R8 etron was conceived from the outset around the second-generation R8’s new aluminium and carbonfibre body structure in a move that saw prototypes possess a kerb weight of 1780kg.

With a combined output of 376bhp and a stout 605lb ft of torque from two electric motors, the earlier R8 etron driven by Autocar back in May was claimed to possess a 0-62mph time of 4.2sec and limited 124mph top speed. However, plans for production were cancelled due to concerns about the all-electric supercar’s limited 215km range.

 

[Omnis]

It better not have that stupid childish soundtrack. They spent 3 years wasting time and money... bunch of idiots. If you'd actually drive it around like that, you might be the biggest jerkoff ever.

 

[homeforsummer]

When I drove it () the only "soundtrack" it had was a kind of enhanced version of the natural sounds it was making, sort of a lower-pitch sound than the normal high, rising-pitch sound you get from an electric motor. I quite liked it, was the right sort of sound and volume that you could either choose to notice it or choose to ignore it.

I do hope they bring it back though, as that means I might get another invite to have a go.

 

[Swagger897]

I've been tweeting to audi and audi New Zealand. Both claim it's a goner but if this is still in the under grounds this will be great. Hopefully they take a few more electric motors from the new r18 to this.

 

[Swagger897]

Soooo.... Bringing this thread back again...

The new R8 (petrol version) is going around the ring right now for testing...

Doesn't look the greatest IMO. But I also read since then the R 8 e-Tron will be happening soon next year..