Audi E-tron: 0-60 MPH in Less Than 6 Seconds, 248 Miles of Range
Additional details on the upcoming Audi e-tron have been shared by the German automaker ahead of the crossover’s debut on September 17th.
According to Audi, the e-tron will have two electric motors with a combined output of 265 kW (about 355 hp) and 413 lb-ft of torque. This level performance will be on tap for about 60 seconds, Audi says. While that limitation may seem a bit disappointing to performance-minded buyers, Audi says the vehicle will still be able to “accelerate from a standstill to the electronically limited top speed of 200 km/h (124.3 mph) several times consecutively without output losses.” Additionally, the vehicle can be put into ‘S’ mode, which will call up an extra 35 kW of power and boost torque to 490 lb-ft for roughly eight seconds when the pedal is fully depressed. With ‘S’ mode engaged, the e-tron will hustle from 0-62 mph in “less than six seconds.”
On the WLTP test cycle, which is more representative of real-world range than the outgoing NEDC test cycle, the e-tron will have an estimated maximum driving range of 248.5 miles – or 400 km. Key to this is the strong regenerative braking system, which contributes to roughly 30 percent of the e-tron’s range. Audi recently tested the system out by descending the 19-mile road down Pikes Peak (an altitude of over 6,200 feet) and it fed so much energy back to the batteries that it recuperated all 19 miles of range it would have otherwise used. Audi says the regenerative braking system is rated at 220 kW and 221 lb-ft and – making it more powerful than any other series production EV’s regen system.
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The regenerative system can be adjusted via the steering wheel paddles. Three different degrees of coasting recuperation are available. On the lowest setting, the vehicle will coast with no additional drag when the driver releases the accelerator – just like an ICE car. The highest setting will allow the driver to accelerate and slow down using only the accelerator pedal – similar to the Nissan Leaf’s ‘E-Pedal’ mode, with the middle setting offering a slightly lesser degree of deceleration. The e-tron will only use the actual wheel brakes when the driver needs more than 0.3g of deceleration. Otherwise, pressing the brake pedal will slow the vehicle down using the regen system. Audi says the e-tron will have a seamless transition from the regenerative brakes to the wheel brakes.
“Depending on the driving situation, the electrohydraulically integrated brake control system decides – electrically on each individual axle – whether the Audi e-tron prototype will decelerate using the electric motor, the wheel brake, or a combination of the two,” the automaker explained in a release.
The Audi e-tron, which is the German luxury automaker’s first series production EV, will make its debut on September 17th in San Francisco. Stay tuned for full details on the fully electric crossover as they become available over the next month or so.
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Sam McEachern holds a diploma in journalism from St. Clair College in Windsor, Ontario, and has been covering the automotive industry for over 5 years. He conducts reviews and writes AutoGuide's news content. He's a die-hard motorsports fan with a passion for performance cars of all sorts.
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When one considers that all Teslas currently available have better acceleration time and greater range than the Audi e-tron, one wonders how this vehicle will compete. When one adds in Tesla's Supercharger network the Audi seems even less competitive. I suspect that the price for the Audi will be more in the Model S range than the Model 3 range.
Weak sauce! The Jaguar I-Pace can do 0 to 60 in 4.5 seconds (and has beaten a Model X 75D/100D in a drag race) and has better WLTP range of 298 miles. It can also outperform any Tesla in the track without ever going in protected mode.