#2020 Audi A3 Sportback E-tron Range

[noah44jacob]

2020 Audi A3 Sportback E-tron Specs, Price and MPG Review

2020 Audi A3 Sportback E-tron Specs, Price and MPG Review

2020 Audi A3 Sportback E-tron Specs, Price and MPG Review– Like the regular Audi A3 Sportback E-tron and cabriolet, the Audi A3 Sportback E-tron goes into the 2020 design year with a number of changes both all through. Although, 2020 Audi A3 Sedan Review neglected to upgrade our greatest problems with the plug-in hybrid hatchback: its high cost of gain access to and its middling gasoline-electric…

[mikethepec-blog]

2020 Audi A3 Coupe, Sportback & Release Date

2020 Audi A3 Coupe, Sportback & Release Date

We like the Audi A3 family members, although the US collection isn’t very as considerable as from what Europe obtains. Audi just recently rejuvenated the A3 and S3 for 2017, but there might be even more significant changes in the kind of a new body type. Concerning Auto Express, the hatchback, Sportback, sedan, and convertible may become a member of by a new several-front door coupe model.

2020…

[renatosampaio101]

Audi, BMW e Jaguar Land Rover têm condições especiais

Audi, BMW Motorrad e Land Rover apresentaram condições especiais de compras para seus modelos. A ideia é oferecer vantagens para os consumidores. Especialmente os que já estavam interessados na compra ou troca antes da parada por causa do coronavírus. Por causa das medidas de segurança e isolamento, as concessionárias precisaram ser fechadas neste período.

Veja também

Audi cria manutenção especial para carros de clientes com mais de 60 anos

BMW começa a vender o sedã Série 3 híbrido no Brasil

Jaguar Land Rover mostra conceito autônomo futurista

Audi

A Audi vem com o programa Audi Pass para 13 modelos com taxa de juros de 0,59% ao mês, um ano de seguro Audi e duas revisões incluídas. A entrada mínima é de 30% do valor do veículo; as parcelas vão de R$ 1.990 do A3 Sedan aos R$ 8.390 no RS5 Coupé.

Para os A3 Sedan e Sportback, A4, A5, Q3, Q5, SQ5 e e-tron, o saldo pode ser quitado em até 23 parcelas. Nesse caso, a carência é de 90 dias para a primeira parcela. Há ainda uma parcela balão de 50% ao término do período. Para os modelos A6, A7, e Q8, as condições são iguais, mas a carência do primeiro pagamento é de 6 meses. RS4 Avant e RS5 Coupé, os únicos RS na condição especial, o saldo pode ser quitado em 35 meses, 6 meses para a primeira parcela e parcela balão de 30% do valor total.

BMW

BMW Motorrad

A divisão de motos oferece condições especiais para as big trail F 850 GS Adventure e R 1250 GS Premium. No caso da menor, a F 850 GS tem um desconto de R$ 4 mil no valor e sai por R$ 56.900. O preço de tabela é de R$ 60.900.

A R 1250 GS Premium tem um desconto menor: R$ 3 mil. A tabela de R$ 87.950 cai para R$ 84.950 no mês de maio. A BMW está oferecendo ainda a primeira revisão gratuita, taxa de 0,99% ao mês no financiamento pelo braço financeiro da marca aos modelos.

Para os modelos 2020, a BMW oferece três anos de garantia. Durante o mês de maio, os modelos 2019/2020 ainda em estoque também serão oferecidos com a . A gama da BMW vai da família G 310 com motor monocilíndrico até os modelos da gama K 1600 com motor seis cilindros em linha.

LAND ROVER

Jaguar Land Rover

A Jaguar Land Rover oferece até o dia 31 de maio ou enquanto durarem os estoques modelos com 4 meses para a primeira parcela do financiamento. Para alguns modelos há ainda taxa 0% de juros. No caso dos modelos da Land Rover, todos tem os 120 dias de carência no pagamento da primeira parcela, se financiados.

Discovery, Evoque, Velar e Range Rover Sport trazem ainda a taxa zero. Na linha da Jaguar, os modelos com as mesmas vantagens são os SUVs F-Pace e E-Pace e o sedã médio XE. O grupo britânico oferece ainda o pacote de revisões “Land Care”. Elas são válidas por cinco anos em intervalos de 10 mil km ou 12 meses e agora têm preços diferenciados.

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Inscrever-se

https://jornaldocarro.estadao.com.br/carros/audi-bmw-land-rover-condicoes-especiais/ visto pela primeira vez em https://jornaldocarro.estadao.com.br

[caiosilvabrasil]

Audi, BMW e Jaguar Land Rover têm condições especiais

Audi, BMW Motorrad e Land Rover apresentaram condições especiais de compras para seus modelos. A ideia é oferecer vantagens para os consumidores. Especialmente os que já estavam interessados na compra ou troca antes da parada por causa do coronavírus. Por causa das medidas de segurança e isolamento, as concessionárias precisaram ser fechadas neste período.

Veja também

Audi cria manutenção especial para carros de clientes com mais de 60 anos

BMW começa a vender o sedã Série 3 híbrido no Brasil

Jaguar Land Rover mostra conceito autônomo futurista

Audi

A Audi vem com o programa Audi Pass para 13 modelos com taxa de juros de 0,59% ao mês, um ano de seguro Audi e duas revisões incluídas. A entrada mínima é de 30% do valor do veículo; as parcelas vão de R$ 1.990 do A3 Sedan aos R$ 8.390 no RS5 Coupé.

Para os A3 Sedan e Sportback, A4, A5, Q3, Q5, SQ5 e e-tron, o saldo pode ser quitado em até 23 parcelas. Nesse caso, a carência é de 90 dias para a primeira parcela. Há ainda uma parcela balão de 50% ao término do período. Para os modelos A6, A7, e Q8, as condições são iguais, mas a carência do primeiro pagamento é de 6 meses. RS4 Avant e RS5 Coupé, os únicos RS na condição especial, o saldo pode ser quitado em 35 meses, 6 meses para a primeira parcela e parcela balão de 30% do valor total.

BMW

BMW Motorrad

A divisão de motos oferece condições especiais para as big trail F 850 GS Adventure e R 1250 GS Premium. No caso da menor, a F 850 GS tem um desconto de R$ 4 mil no valor e sai por R$ 56.900. O preço de tabela é de R$ 60.900.

A R 1250 GS Premium tem um desconto menor: R$ 3 mil. A tabela de R$ 87.950 cai para R$ 84.950 no mês de maio. A BMW está oferecendo ainda a primeira revisão gratuita, taxa de 0,99% ao mês no financiamento pelo braço financeiro da marca aos modelos.

Para os modelos 2020, a BMW oferece três anos de garantia. Durante o mês de maio, os modelos 2019/2020 ainda em estoque também serão oferecidos com a . A gama da BMW vai da família G 310 com motor monocilíndrico até os modelos da gama K 1600 com motor seis cilindros em linha.

LAND ROVER

Jaguar Land Rover

A Jaguar Land Rover oferece até o dia 31 de maio ou enquanto durarem os estoques modelos com 4 meses para a primeira parcela do financiamento. Para alguns modelos há ainda taxa 0% de juros. No caso dos modelos da Land Rover, todos tem os 120 dias de carência no pagamento da primeira parcela, se financiados.

Discovery, Evoque, Velar e Range Rover Sport trazem ainda a taxa zero. Na linha da Jaguar, os modelos com as mesmas vantagens são os SUVs F-Pace e E-Pace e o sedã médio XE. O grupo britânico oferece ainda o pacote de revisões “Land Care”. Elas são válidas por cinco anos em intervalos de 10 mil km ou 12 meses e agora têm preços diferenciados.

Inscreva-se no canal do Jornal do Carro no YouTube

Veja vídeos de testes de carros e motos, lançamentos, panoramas, análises, entrevistas e o que acontece no mundo automotivo em outros países!

Inscrever-se

Audi, BMW e Jaguar Land Rover têm condições especiais apareceu primeiro em: https://jornaldocarro.estadao.com.br

[mobileautorepairpros]

Motor News: 2020 Geneva Motor Show

The 2020 Geneva International Motor Show was cancelled due to coronavirus concerns. But, show organizers and automakers quickly moved the debut party online, and it was a virtual hit parade! 

Like the Bugatti Chiron Pur Sport. It focuses more on balance and agility than just max speed.

Meanwhile this Aston Martin V12 Speedster is all about no top extravagance.

The Mercedes-Benz E-class dons smoother updates front and rear, with dual 12.3 inch cockpit displays and next-gen driver assistance systems.

Porsche debuted the New-Gen 911 Turbo S Coupe and Cabriolet. Both get a 60 horsepower bump up to 640 from a new 3.8 liter twin turbo.

Volkswagen continues their EV Onslaught. Set to launch this year is the ID.4, a long-range electric compact SUV.

The 8th-generation golf GTI gets a Svelte new look and 245 horsepower. Two new hot-hatch models are the GTD hybrid and a GTD diesel.

The 2021 Audi A3 Sportback shows new brand styling emphasizing the wheel arches with a scooped out side profile. The Audi E-Tron adds an S model with more power and more dynamic handling.

BMW’s concept I4 foreshadows their first all-electric midsize sedan, set to arrive next year.

Also on the concept front, Hyundai showed this full EV prophecy, with a new minimalism design language. Geneva was to be the first auto show outing for Kia’s more tech savy 4th gen sorento mid-size SUV.

Alfa Romeo’s new Giulia GTA sheds 220 pounds and packs 540 horsepower, inspired by the successful lightweight 1960’s racer of the same name. 

Bentley Mulliner revealed their Bacalar open-air two-seater. Just 12 will be made-to-order.

And this Mclaren 765LT is the latest in the track-focused longtail line, boasting 755 horsepower and a carbon fiber body.

And that wraps up our coverage of the Geneva Auto Show that wasn’t. And this week’s Motor News.

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[componentplanet]

Coronavirus Takes Down Geneva, 2020’s Biggest Auto Show

2019-GIMS-Geneva

The 2020 Geneva Motor Show got the hook early Friday in the wake of the Swiss government’s concerns about coronavirus and a ban on gatherings of more than 1,000 people. The show’s first events were scheduled for Sunday, with media days beginning Monday, and public days from March 5-15. As of Thursday, show organizers had been reassuring exhibitors, the media, and the public that the show was definitely going ahead.

Geneva draws about 600,000 to its annual, early March dates. While other major shows draw a million visitors, Geneva has been important because it’s not seen as the host country’s show, the way Frankfurt, Tokyo, and Detroit are seen highlighting German, Japanese, and American cars.

The immediate issue is keeping the public safe, dealing with coronavirus (also called COVID-19 and SARS-CoV-2), and its implications. Current research suggests coronavirus is fatal in 2 percent of cases while influenza is fatal in about 0.1 percent of cases – 20 per thousand infected versus 1 per thousand. What’s not known is what percentage of the population might be afflicted; with the flu, it’s about 8 percent, but can vary depending on the strain that season.

New Car Intros We Now Won’t See in Geneva

Among the major Geneva show introductions that now will have to be handled in some other way include:

Audi A3 Sportback (wagonlike), and possibly a sportier, longer-range e-tron S EV.

BMW i4 EV, as well as plug-in hybrids on the 3 Series and X2 crossover. Tesla scoffs at plug-ins, but they’ve got at least a decade of life where they can provide many of the benefits of EVs, but without the range anxiety.

Fisker Ocean, an electric SUV that was teased at CES.

Honda Civic refresh, plus EVs that won’t come to the US (Jazz, Honda E).

Hyundai was to reveal a new electric-drive platform with the Prophecy concept.

Jeep was to provide more details on its plug-in hybrids that were shown at CES.

Kia Sorento SUV, fourth generation.

Mercedes-Benz, E-Class midlife refresh, and the Mercedes-AMG GLA 45, claimed to have the most powerful inline-four-cylinder engine ever.

Toyota crossover based on the subcompact Yaris sedan.

Volkswagen Golf GTI and (for Europe if not the US) and the sport Golf GTD, where D is for diesel.

Concerns for the Health of Auto Shows

The cancellation of the Geneva show will amplify the discussion about the financial health of auto shows in general. The last traditional Detroit show (NAIAS) was in January 2018, with soft attendance and the absence of many high-end, international automakers tired of spending millions to market cars Michiganders aren’t likely to buy when they have friends-and-family discounts for Fords, Chevys, and Ram pickups. And with the Detroit show in January, more high-profile introductions shifted to CES in Las Vegas. So that’s the reason for problems in Michigan. Detroit hopes for a reset with the re-emerging as a celebration of spring with more outdoor events, running June 9-20.

A worse sign for auto shows is the absence at the New York International Auto Show (NYIAS), which begins with press days the Wednesday before Good Friday, then has public days through April 19. The three biggest German automakers are gone this year: Audi, BMW, and Mercedes-Benz. Porsche will exhibit. Audi issued a statement that it will “continue to evaluate auto shows on a case-by-case basis moving forward to determine if they are the best platform for US and world premieres of our upcoming models.” For every luxury automaker, metro New York is typically their biggest market, and if not it’s in the top three along with Los Angeles and Miami.

Auto shows serve multiple purposes. New cars are introduced at the show. Automakers can sometimes milk the same car for as many as three go-rounds: world premiere, North American premiere, and on the off chance a car was introduced in Canada or Mexico first, the US premiere. Add the debut of the concept car, sometimes early concept and late concept, and you’ve got five. All this gives the media something to write about, and gets the public thinking about buying cars. But splashy events can become expensive. An off-site event with special effects and transportation of guests easily tops a million dollars.

The public days give potential buyers a chance to see cars. That’s when the automaker staffs are for the most part departed, leaving the regional dealer associations to staff the booths. There’s an open question about how effective shows are now at luring serious prospects when they can learn so much online. If automakers skip the shows, the dealer groups wind up shouldering more of the cost of the booth space.

Finally, there’s the interaction of automakers, media, analysts, and academics. The LA Auto Show, Nov. 20-29 this year, again has a conference and showcase focusing on green cars and the environment, called Automobility LA, that has been well received. Detroit countered with Automobili-D but it didn’t get quite the response. It’s also a time for automakers and suppliers to talk on background about future plans, and for job-seekers to pass around business cards.

The cancellation hit so quickly that Geneva’s media page was still offering credential information Friday morning.

All through the week, show organizers had said game on, but they urged automakers and media to be screened if they had concerns about being infected. At the same time, automakers had been pulling top executives from the show, which meant canceled briefings for analysts and media. And some organized media trips supported by automakers had been canceled as well. For small companies and individuals who bought non-refundable airline tickets and reserved hotels, that money is lost.

By midday European time Friday, the Geneva International Motor Show (GIMS) landing page carried a brief note:

The 90th edition of the GIMS, which was supposed to welcome the media from next Monday and the general public from 5 to 15 March 2020, will now finally not take place. This is an injunction decision of the Federal Council of 28 February 2020 that no events with more than 1,000 people are allowed to take place until 15 March 2020.

Now read:

11 Best EVs and Plug-Ins of the 2019 Geneva Motor Show

Tesla Teardown Scares Competitors: ‘We Cannot Do This’

EVs Finally Get Some Love from the Most Important JD Power Study

from ExtremeTechExtremeTech https://www.extremetech.com/extreme/306749-coronavirus-takes-down-geneva-2020s-biggest-auto-show from Blogger http://componentplanet.blogspot.com/2020/02/coronavirus-takes-down-geneva-2020s.html

[jesusvasser]

Audi’s Baby Q4 E-Tron Electric SUV Is Here, and It Looks Fantastic

The conceptual stage of the Audi Q4 e-tron concept you see here will be a short one, as it will metamorphose into a production vehicle by 2021 or shortly thereafter. Once that happens, it will be the fifth electric model for the four-ringed brand.

The concept made its global debut at the Geneva auto show and builds on Audi’s promise to launch 12 purely electric vehicles by 2025. The e-tron name goes back several years, but the family didn’t get going in earnest until the arrival of the e-tron crossover that goes on sale in the U.S. this summer. It will be followed early next year by the e-tron Sportback, which has a roofline like the Audi A7 and shares a platform with the Porsche Taycan. Audi showed a camouflaged version of the production Sportback at the show and promised a true look at the production car by the end of the year. The E-Tron GT four-passenger sedan will go on sale at the end of 2020, and then the Q4 e-tron will arrive. The fifth e-tron, the Q2 L, is for China only and will be unveiled in a few weeks at the Shanghai auto show.

The Q4 e-tron is being billed as the first affordable A-segment—which is to say subcompact-ish—electric vehicle, and there will be few changes made to the concept for production. The batteries are positioned in the floor of its curvaceous, wide-stanced body, and the wheels are pushed to the corners to maximize interior space and minimize the overhangs. It sallies forth wearing Audi’s latest design language, including the latest shape of the “singleframe” grille, thin LED headlights, and big, jowly intakes in the front bumper—presumably to help cool the batteries—although it sort of looks to our eyes like Audi swiped some cues from Lincoln (who had been swiping cues from Audi). Customers will also be able to design their own graphic for the headlights, whatever that means, but Audi says it’s a first for the company.

As expected, there is a lot of tech at the driver’s fingertips, from the Virtual Cockpit customizable digital instrument cluster to the large dual-screen infotainment system, all brimming with information and functions. A huge head-up display is a first for Audi in terms of size. The Q4 will have a range of about 280 miles as measured on the European WLTP test cycle; figure the number will come in a bit lower when it is rated by the EPA.

After 2022, Audi will trade in the modified MLB platform it is using for its initial electric vehicles and adopt the VW Group’s new PPE (Premium Platform Electric) architecture for performance/luxury electric vehicles. Porsche will also switch to PPE for the economies of scale, as well. Mainstream brands in the Volkswagen Group will use the MEB platform for their electric vehicles, as will some Audis including the eventual roadgoing version of the Q4 e-tron.

Audi is also preparing to launch plug-in-hybrid versions of the A6, A7, A8, and Q5, all of which also made their official debut in Geneva. The existing A3 and Q7 PHEVs have been upgraded to the latest powertrain hardware and software. The plug-ins will go on sale this year in Europe and a decision will be made in the next few months whether to offer the PHEVs in the U.S., said Fermin Soneira Santos, Audi vice president of marketing. If they do come, it won’t be in 2019. This year is the year of e-tron in America in the belief that buyers in this market prefer pure EVs—thanks, Tesla!—over plug-in hybrids. But Santos thinks the U.S. will get the PHEVs “eventually.”

For his part, Herbert Diess, VW Group CEO, said which products and powertrains are offered where is often tied to local regulations. But he says does not see a market for PHEVs in the U.S. “There have been plug-in hybrids in the U.S. and none of them really have been successful so far,” he tells us in an interview. Finally, Audi CEO Bram Schot has said one in three new Audis will have some form of electrified powertrain by 2025.

The post Audi’s Baby Q4 E-Tron Electric SUV Is Here, and It Looks Fantastic appeared first on Automobile Magazine.

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[eddiejpoplar]

Audi’s Baby Q4 E-Tron Electric SUV Is Here, and It Looks Fantastic

The conceptual stage of the Audi Q4 e-tron concept you see here will be a short one, as it will metamorphose into a production vehicle by 2021 or shortly thereafter. Once that happens, it will be the fifth electric model for the four-ringed brand.

The concept made its global debut at the Geneva auto show and builds on Audi’s promise to launch 12 purely electric vehicles by 2025. The e-tron name goes back several years, but the family didn’t get going in earnest until the arrival of the e-tron crossover that goes on sale in the U.S. this summer. It will be followed early next year by the e-tron Sportback, which has a roofline like the Audi A7 and shares a platform with the Porsche Taycan. Audi showed a camouflaged version of the production Sportback at the show and promised a true look at the production car by the end of the year. The E-Tron GT four-passenger sedan will go on sale at the end of 2020, and then the Q4 e-tron will arrive. The fifth e-tron, the Q2 L, is for China only and will be unveiled in a few weeks at the Shanghai auto show.

The Q4 e-tron is being billed as the first affordable A-segment—which is to say subcompact-ish—electric vehicle, and there will be few changes made to the concept for production. The batteries are positioned in the floor of its curvaceous, wide-stanced body, and the wheels are pushed to the corners to maximize interior space and minimize the overhangs. It sallies forth wearing Audi’s latest design language, including the latest shape of the “singleframe” grille, thin LED headlights, and big, jowly intakes in the front bumper—presumably to help cool the batteries—although it sort of looks to our eyes like Audi swiped some cues from Lincoln (who had been swiping cues from Audi). Customers will also be able to design their own graphic for the headlights, whatever that means, but Audi says it’s a first for the company.

As expected, there is a lot of tech at the driver’s fingertips, from the Virtual Cockpit customizable digital instrument cluster to the large dual-screen infotainment system, all brimming with information and functions. A huge head-up display is a first for Audi in terms of size. The Q4 will have a range of about 280 miles as measured on the European WLTP test cycle; figure the number will come in a bit lower when it is rated by the EPA.

After 2022, Audi will trade in the modified MLB platform it is using for its initial electric vehicles and adopt the VW Group’s new PPE (Premium Platform Electric) architecture for performance/luxury electric vehicles. Porsche will also switch to PPE for the economies of scale, as well. Mainstream brands in the Volkswagen Group will use the MEB platform for their electric vehicles, as will some Audis including the eventual roadgoing version of the Q4 e-tron.

Audi is also preparing to launch plug-in-hybrid versions of the A6, A7, A8, and Q5, all of which also made their official debut in Geneva. The existing A3 and Q7 PHEVs have been upgraded to the latest powertrain hardware and software. The plug-ins will go on sale this year in Europe and a decision will be made in the next few months whether to offer the PHEVs in the U.S., said Fermin Soneira Santos, Audi vice president of marketing. If they do come, it won’t be in 2019. This year is the year of e-tron in America in the belief that buyers in this market prefer pure EVs—thanks, Tesla!—over plug-in hybrids. But Santos thinks the U.S. will get the PHEVs “eventually.”

For his part, Herbert Diess, VW Group CEO, said which products and powertrains are offered where is often tied to local regulations. But he says does not see a market for PHEVs in the U.S. “There have been plug-in hybrids in the U.S. and none of them really have been successful so far,” he tells us in an interview. Finally, Audi CEO Bram Schot has said one in three new Audis will have some form of electrified powertrain by 2025.

The post Audi’s Baby Q4 E-Tron Electric SUV Is Here, and It Looks Fantastic appeared first on Automobile Magazine.

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[noah44jacob]

2020 Audi A3 Sportback E-tron MPG, Price and Release Date Review

2020 Audi A3 Sportback E-tron MPG, Price and Release Date Review

2020 Audi A3 Sportback E-tron MPG, Price and Release Date Review– Like the everyday Audi A3 e-tron and cabriolet, the Audi A3 e-tron explores the 2020 design year with a number of changes both all through. Even though, 2020 Audi A3 Sedan Review did not upgrade our most significant complaints with the plug-in hybrid hatchback: its high cost of accessibility and its middling gasoline-electric…

[jonathanbelloblog]

Audi’s Baby Q4 E-Tron Electric SUV Is Here, and It Looks Fantastic

The conceptual stage of the Audi Q4 e-tron concept you see here will be a short one, as it will metamorphose into a production vehicle by 2021 or shortly thereafter. Once that happens, it will be the fifth electric model for the four-ringed brand.

The concept made its global debut at the Geneva auto show and builds on Audi’s promise to launch 12 purely electric vehicles by 2025. The e-tron name goes back several years, but the family didn’t get going in earnest until the arrival of the e-tron crossover that goes on sale in the U.S. this summer. It will be followed early next year by the e-tron Sportback, which has a roofline like the Audi A7 and shares a platform with the Porsche Taycan. Audi showed a camouflaged version of the production Sportback at the show and promised a true look at the production car by the end of the year. The E-Tron GT four-passenger sedan will go on sale at the end of 2020, and then the Q4 e-tron will arrive. The fifth e-tron, the Q2 L, is for China only and will be unveiled in a few weeks at the Shanghai auto show.

The Q4 e-tron is being billed as the first affordable A-segment—which is to say subcompact-ish—electric vehicle, and there will be few changes made to the concept for production. The batteries are positioned in the floor of its curvaceous, wide-stanced body, and the wheels are pushed to the corners to maximize interior space and minimize the overhangs. It sallies forth wearing Audi’s latest design language, including the latest shape of the “singleframe” grille, thin LED headlights, and big, jowly intakes in the front bumper—presumably to help cool the batteries—although it sort of looks to our eyes like Audi swiped some cues from Lincoln (who had been swiping cues from Audi). Customers will also be able to design their own graphic for the headlights, whatever that means, but Audi says it’s a first for the company.

As expected, there is a lot of tech at the driver’s fingertips, from the Virtual Cockpit customizable digital instrument cluster to the large dual-screen infotainment system, all brimming with information and functions. A huge head-up display is a first for Audi in terms of size. The Q4 will have a range of about 280 miles as measured on the European WLTP test cycle; figure the number will come in a bit lower when it is rated by the EPA.

After 2022, Audi will trade in the modified MLB platform it is using for its initial electric vehicles and adopt the VW Group’s new PPE (Premium Platform Electric) architecture for performance/luxury electric vehicles. Porsche will also switch to PPE for the economies of scale, as well. Mainstream brands in the Volkswagen Group will use the MEB platform for their electric vehicles, as will some Audis including the eventual roadgoing version of the Q4 e-tron.

Audi is also preparing to launch plug-in-hybrid versions of the A6, A7, A8, and Q5, all of which also made their official debut in Geneva. The existing A3 and Q7 PHEVs have been upgraded to the latest powertrain hardware and software. The plug-ins will go on sale this year in Europe and a decision will be made in the next few months whether to offer the PHEVs in the U.S., said Fermin Soneira Santos, Audi vice president of marketing. If they do come, it won’t be in 2019. This year is the year of e-tron in America in the belief that buyers in this market prefer pure EVs—thanks, Tesla!—over plug-in hybrids. But Santos thinks the U.S. will get the PHEVs “eventually.”

For his part, Herbert Diess, VW Group CEO, said which products and powertrains are offered where is often tied to local regulations. But he says does not see a market for PHEVs in the U.S. “There have been plug-in hybrids in the U.S. and none of them really have been successful so far,” he tells us in an interview. Finally, Audi CEO Bram Schot has said one in three new Audis will have some form of electrified powertrain by 2025.

The post Audi’s Baby Q4 E-Tron Electric SUV Is Here, and It Looks Fantastic appeared first on Automobile Magazine.

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[robertkstone]

Audi Q4 E-Tron Concept Bows in Geneva

The Q4 E-Tron Concept is an electric SUV concept that will go into production in 2021 at the earliest and will be the fifth electric model for the Audi brand.

The concept made its global debut at the Geneva auto show. It continues on Audi’s promise to launch 12 pure electric vehicles by 2025. The E-Tron family started with the E-Tron crossover that goes on sale in the U.S. mid-year. It will be followed by the E-Tron Sportback in early 2020 which has a roofline like the Audi A7 and shares a platform with the Porsche Taycan. Audi showed a camo’d version of the production car at the show and promised a true look at the production car by the end of the year.

The E-Tron GT four-passenger sedan will be available at the end of 2020, and then the Q4 E-Tron in 2021 or later. Another E-Tron, the Q2 L for China only, will be unveiled in a few weeks at the Shanghai auto show.

The Q4 E-Tron is billed as the first affordable A-segment electric vehicle, and there will be little change to the car for production. With batteries in the floor, the crossover has an extended wheelbase and short overhangs. The body is curvaceous with a wide stance.

The Q4 E-Tron continues the latest design language with the hexagonal grille, thin LED headlights, and big jowls for the inlets in the front bumper. Customers can design their own graphic for the digital headlights, an Audi first.

As expected, there is a lot of tech at the driver’s fingertips, from the Virtual Cockpit customizable digital instrument cluster to the large dual-screen infotainment system, all brimming with information and functions. Another first is the huge head-up display.

The Q4 will have a range of about 450 km (280 miles) as measured on the European WLTP drive cycle.

After 2022, Audi will trade in the modified MLB platform it is using for electric vehicles and adopt the new PPE (Premium Platform Electric) architecture for performance luxury electric vehicles. Porsche will also stop using its J1 architecture and switch to PPE for the economies of scale. Mainstream brands in the Volkswagen Group use the MEB platform for their electric vehicles, and some Audis, including the Q4 E-Tron, will use MEB.

Along with the Q4 E-Tron, Audi will launch plug-in hybrid versions of the A6, A7, A8, and Q5. All made their official debut in Geneva. The existing A3 and Q7 PHEVs have been upgraded.

The plug-ins will go on sale this year in Europe and a decision will be made in the next few months whether to offer the PHEVs in the U.S., said Fermin Soneira Santos, Audi vice president of Product Marketing.

But the U.S. will not get them in 2019. This year is the year of E-Tron for the U.S. in the belief that Americans embrace pure EVs—courtesy of Tesla—as opposed to plug-in hybrids. But Santos thinks the U.S. will get the PHEVs “eventually.”

Herbert Diess, chairman of the Volkswagen AG Board of Management, said product offerings and powertrains are tied to local regulations. But also he does not see a market for them in the U.S. “There have been plug-in hybrids in the U.S. and none of them really have been successful so far,” he tells MotorTrend in an interview. VW has the platforms to proceed when the time is right but it does not make sense right now.

Audi CEO Bram Schot has said one in three new Audis will have some form of electric powertrain by 2025.

The post Audi Q4 E-Tron Concept Bows in Geneva appeared first on Motortrend.

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[robertvasquez763]

Audi e-tron Quattro and Sportback: New Tech Details on the Tesla Model X Rival

–

Audi may have created a rather confusing pedigree for its e-tron brand; so far, there have been plenty of electric-motor-equipped teases but very few actual production vehicles beyond the A3 Sportback e-tron plug-in hybrid. But that will soon change as the company gives the e-tron brand three new battery-electric vehicles as centerpieces. The first will arrive in late 2018 for Europe and early 2019 for the United States.

–

Recent interviews we conducted with the automaker’s R&D chief, Peter Mertens, and its technical director for powertrain development, Siegfried Pint, give us a better idea of how the upcoming e-tron Quattro—and the swoopier e-tron Sportback variant that will follow it by less than a year—will shape up. These models will slot neatly between the Q5 and Q7 in size; the interiors are expected to closely follow the cabin look and layout of the new 2019 Audi A8, while exterior styling will closely hew to the appearance of the concepts bearing the same names.

–

–

Audi e-tron Quattro concept.

–

These models most certainly won’t be “compliance vehicles,” as we refer to electrified versions of existing gasoline models engineered to earn California zero-emission-vehicle (ZEV) credits. Together they’ll be the first true rivals for the Tesla Model X—and the first from the Volkswagen Group built on a new set of battery-electric vehicle components developed both for global sale and volume production. Just as with those models, they’ll be offered at multiple battery sizes (at least two, in Audi’s case), corresponding to the driving range that’s needed.

–

Next-Level Charging

–

Charging is an important part of market acceptance. Audi confirmed that 150-kW CCS fast charging will be the high-speed charging base level for the production e-tron. That rate will allow them to regain more than 80 percent of charge—more than 200 miles recovered—in a half hour. Officials hinted that these models have been engineered to handle higher-power (perhaps 350 kW) fast charging but that the technology probably won’t be enabled from the start. Mertens confirmed that Audi and Porsche are working closely together on the platform and some core components, although he declined to say whether the two VW Group brands are sharing in the 800-volt charging system Porsche is reportedly still considering for its Mission E sedan.

–

Although there’s currently no publicly accessible 150-kW charging in the United States, that’s expected to change dramatically by the time the e-tron SUV launches in 2019. At that point, there will be in the neighborhood of 200 to 300 sites with 150-kW capability in the U.S. via Electrify America, plus a smaller number of additional sites from other charging providers.

–

Mertens confirmed that inductive (wireless) charging will play an important role in replenishing the e-trons’ batteries at home and work, although he wasn’t yet willing to disclose which supplier the company is working with. He did add that inductive charging will also be a “key technology” for the brand’s plug-in hybrids.

–

All-Weather Capability, Repeat Performance

–

Tesla’s vehicles tend to lose performance, we’ve observed on more than one occasion, after repeatedly tapping all-out acceleration. Audi’s Pint assured us that won’t be the case with these upcoming e-tron products, something we look forward to confirming in our own testing. “We have a requirement that the vehicle has to repeat its full power,” he said. “And the one parameter that enables you to repeat is having a low temperature in the electric-motor electronics and battery systems.”

–

To that end, these models will all have enclosed liquid cooling for the battery, traction motors, and some other components. “Batteries without liquid cooling will not be seen in the future, as the cell technology that we have these days only works within a very narrow [temperature] range,” Pint said he anticipates.

–

Furthermore, the e-tron has been engineered as a global vehicle, Pint emphasized, so a lot of attention has been paid to battery cooling and the durability of the entire power and drive systems. Both the e-tron and e-tron Sportback will follow a two-supplier strategy—with pouch cells from LG or prismatic cells from Samsung both being accommodated for in the development process. Pint reported no cooling issues with either of the cells but said he appreciates the flexibility. “Our modules are built so that we can exchange cells without changing the battery housing,” he said. “It’s the same for both cell formats.”

–

Better Traction/Stability Than Models with a Tailpipe, Audi Says

–

All e-tron Quattro models will have all-wheel drive, of course. Base models will have a two-motor system (one in back, one in front), while an upper-spec model will have a three-motor system (two in back, one in front). The latter arrangement, Pint said, makes the e-tron corner “like a hunting dog chasing a rabbit,” and it allows for the transfer of torque both front to rear and, at the rear, left to right. Pint said that the top-spec Audis are capable of applying up to 1500 lb-ft of torque to a single wheel. Not that they’ll do that in production: “Our suspension engineers aren’t able to apply all that [torque], so we have a limit for vehicle safety,” he said.

–

–

The system provides an opportunity for nuance, however. Because the torque can be fine-tuned within nanoseconds, the system can provide neutral handling across a wide range of speeds and dynamic situations, and it can support the lateral force at the tire, reducing polar inertia and theoretically making the car feel lighter than it is. It’s what gives the three-motor system in the e-tron SUV better all-weather traction and handling than any equivalent gasoline or diesel model, Pint said. So the three-motor will make it into production. “It’s already in testing, and I personally did some winter testing last winter,” he said. “It does perform really well.”

–

Motors That Avoid Conflict

–

Audi’s upcoming e-tron products will even be different at the motor level. The motors are seen as core components and thus won’t be farmed out to a supplier, said Pint. They’re developed and produced internally and, he revealed, probably won’t follow either the AC-induction design that you’ll find in the Tesla Model S or the permanent-magnet design from the Model 3 and many other models. Instead, Audi’s e-tron products will likely use specially designed current-excited synchronous motors.

–

“If you are able to develop and produce the rotor [the portion of the motor that rotates] properly, you get the best of both worlds—the efficiency and higher output of a permanent-magnet motor and an advantage at high speeds,” Pint said, adding that Audi doesn’t want to deal with the mineral and raw-material risks. “So we’re putting a lot of effort into magnet-free electric motors with the power density of a permanent magnet but the costs of an induction motor.”

–

–

Quattro Performance for the 2020s?

–

While all of the above describes Audi’s first two all-electric vehicles, the e-tron and e-tron Sportback, the automaker has been mum about the third EV variant. Our best guess at this point is that it will end up being either a compact crossover an even more performance-focused model.

–

–

Don’t Wait for an Audi Q7 Plug-In Hybrid in the U.S.

–

2019 Audi e-tron Quattro: Tesla’s Nemesis Spied in Production Form

–

Audi A8: Review, Photos, News, Info

–

–

While any system involving in-wheel motors can be ruled out—these are for now essentially restricted to concept-car flights of fancy—the four-motor setup in Audi’s recent Aicon concept is something to take seriously. As a potential tease for an all-electric reinvention of the Audi Quattro, it’s certainly intriguing.

–

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via WordPress https://robertvasquez123.wordpress.com/2017/10/10/audi-e-tron-quattro-and-sportback-new-tech-details-on-the-tesla-model-x-rival/

[juliandmouton30]

Audi set to unveil car with solar roof by end of 2017

German automaker Audi is working with Chinese solar-cell specialist Hanergy to develop thin-film solar cells that can be integrated into the panoramic glass roofs of its cars.

Audi says that the integrated cells – which are being developed with Hanergy subsidiary Alta Devices – will generate solar energy for electric vehicles. The generated power would be used to supply systems such as air-conditioning or seat heaters, increasing the range of the electric cars.

The first joint prototype is expected to be ready by the end of 2017. Audi told Dezeen that it will then start an intensive testing phase to check whether the prototype fulfils its technical requirements in terms of safety, quality, robustness and environmental protection.

"The range of electric cars plays a decisive role for our customers," commented Audi's board member Dr Bernd Martens. "Together with Hanergy, we plan to install innovative solar technology in our electric cars that will extend their range and is also sustainable."

The marque also stated that in the future, the solar cells could cover almost the entire roof surface, and at a later stage, solar energy could directly charge the traction battery – which powers the propulsion of the vehicle.

"That would be a milestone along the way to achieving sustainable, emission-free mobility," continued Martens.

Thin and flexible, the solar cells are produced by Alta Devices in California from gallium arsenide and have an efficiency of more than 25 per cent. According to Audi, they also perform very well in conditions of low light and high temperature.

"Gallium arsenide crystals are widely used in the semiconductor industry because they have unique physical and chemical properties, which make them particularly efficient to convert natural sunlight into clean electricity and hence ideal for use in solar cells," a spokesperson from Audi told Dezeen. "The solar cells from Hanergy are very efficient, so we anticipate an output of approximately 250 watts per square metre."

"Take as an example an electric car with a solar panorama roof with a size of one square metre. If this car stands on a parking lot in good weather during an eight-hour working day, the owner could use solar energy to drive up to 13 kilometres on the way home."

Related story

Tesla unveils "first mass-market electric vehicle" the Model 3

In 2015, Audi's head of experiential marketing Bernhard Neumann told Dezeen that the cars of the future may not be electric, and that other power sources including fuel cells may turn out to be more effective than batteries.

But last month Audi announced it is aiming to cut costs by €10 billion (£8.9 billion) before 2022 in order to help fund a shift to electric cars.

Introduced in 2009 under the name 'Audi e-tron', Audi's family of electric and hybrid cars currently includes two plug-in hybrids: the Audi A3 Sportback e-tron and Q7 e-tron. In June the marque announced that three new electric vehicles will be added to its e-tron family by 2020.

Following this, the brand plans to release an electric version of each of its core vehicles, including a driverless city car by 2021. The short-term goal for Audi is to have at least 30 per cent fully or partially electric sales by 2025.

Audi was ranked at number 82 on Dezeen Hot List, a data-based power-ranking of the most influential players in architecture and design.

The post Audi set to unveil car with solar roof by end of 2017 appeared first on Dezeen.

from ifttt-furniture https://www.dezeen.com/2017/09/02/audi-set-unveil-car-with-solar-panel-roof-2017-technology-design/

[jesusvasser]

Audi e-tron Quattro and Sportback: New Tech Details on the Tesla Model X Rival

-

Audi may have created a rather confusing pedigree for its e-tron brand; so far, there have been plenty of electric-motor-equipped teases but very few actual production vehicles beyond the A3 Sportback e-tron plug-in hybrid. But that will soon change as the company gives the e-tron brand three new battery-electric vehicles as centerpieces. The first will arrive in late 2018 for Europe and early 2019 for the United States.

-

Recent interviews we conducted with the automaker’s R&D chief, Peter Mertens, and its technical director for powertrain development, Siegfried Pint, give us a better idea of how the upcoming e-tron Quattro—and the swoopier e-tron Sportback variant that will follow it by less than a year—will shape up. These models will slot neatly between the Q5 and Q7 in size; the interiors are expected to closely follow the cabin look and layout of the new 2019 Audi A8, while exterior styling will closely hew to the appearance of the concepts bearing the same names.

-

-

Audi e-tron Quattro concept.

-

These models most certainly won’t be “compliance vehicles,” as we refer to electrified versions of existing gasoline models engineered to earn California zero-emission-vehicle (ZEV) credits. Together they’ll be the first true rivals for the Tesla Model X—and the first from the Volkswagen Group built on a new set of battery-electric vehicle components developed both for global sale and volume production. Just as with those models, they’ll be offered at multiple battery sizes (at least two, in Audi’s case), corresponding to the driving range that’s needed.

-

Next-Level Charging

-

Charging is an important part of market acceptance. Audi confirmed that 150-kW CCS fast charging will be the high-speed charging base level for the production e-tron. That rate will allow them to regain more than 80 percent of charge—more than 200 miles recovered—in a half hour. Officials hinted that these models have been engineered to handle higher-power (perhaps 350 kW) fast charging but that the technology probably won’t be enabled from the start. Mertens confirmed that Audi and Porsche are working closely together on the platform and some core components, although he declined to say whether the two VW Group brands are sharing in the 800-volt charging system Porsche is reportedly still considering for its Mission E sedan.

-

Although there’s currently no publicly accessible 150-kW charging in the United States, that’s expected to change dramatically by the time the e-tron SUV launches in 2019. At that point, there will be in the neighborhood of 200 to 300 sites with 150-kW capability in the U.S. via Electrify America, plus a smaller number of additional sites from other charging providers.

-

Mertens confirmed that inductive charging will play an important role in replenishing the e-trons’ batteries at home and work, although he wasn’t yet willing to disclose which supplier the company is working with. He did add that inductive charging will also be a “key technology” for the brand’s plug-in hybrids.

-

All-Weather Capability, Repeat Performance

-

Tesla’s vehicles tend to lose performance, we’ve observed on more than one occasion, after repeatedly tapping all-out acceleration. Audi’s Pint assured us that won’t be the case with these upcoming e-tron products, something we look forward to confirming in our own testing. “We have a requirement that the vehicle has to repeat its full power,” he said. “And the one parameter that enables you to repeat is having a low temperature in the electric-motor electronics and battery systems.”

-

To that end, these models will all have enclosed liquid cooling for the battery, traction motors, and some other components. “Batteries without liquid cooling will not be seen in the future, as the cell technology that we have these days only works within a very narrow [temperature] range,” Pint said he anticipates.

-

Furthermore, the e-tron has been engineered as a global vehicle, Pint emphasized, so a lot of attention has been paid to battery cooling and the durability of the entire power and drive systems. Both the e-tron and e-tron Sportback will follow a two-supplier strategy—with pouch cells from LG or prismatic cells from Samsung both being accommodated for in the development process. Pint reported no cooling issues with either of the cells but said he appreciates the flexibility. “Our modules are built so that we can exchange cells without changing the battery housing,” he said. “It’s the same for both cell formats.”

-

Better Traction/Stability Than Models with a Tailpipe, Audi Says

-

All e-tron Quattro models will have all-wheel drive, of course. Base models will have a two-motor system (one in back, one in front), while an upper-spec model will have a three-motor system (two in back, one in front). The latter arrangement, Pint said, makes the e-tron corner “like a hunting dog chasing a rabbit,” and it allows for the transfer of torque both front to rear and, at the rear, left to right. Pint said that the top-spec Audis are capable of applying up to 1500 lb-ft of torque to a single wheel. Not that they’ll do that in production: “Our suspension engineers aren’t able to apply all that [torque], so we have a limit for vehicle safety,” he said.

-

-

The system provides an opportunity for nuance, however. Because the torque can be fine-tuned within nanoseconds, the system can provide neutral handling across a wide range of speeds and dynamic situations, and it can support the lateral force at the tire, reducing polar inertia and theoretically making the car feel lighter than it is. It’s what gives the three-motor system in the e-tron SUV better all-weather traction and handling than any equivalent gasoline or diesel model, Pint said. So the three-motor will make it into production. “It’s already in testing, and I personally did some winter testing last winter,” he said. “It does perform really well.”

-

Motors That Avoid Conflict

-

Audi’s upcoming e-tron products will even be different at the motor level. The motors are seen as core components and thus won’t be farmed out to a supplier, said Pint. They’re developed and produced internally and, he revealed, probably won’t follow either the AC-induction design that you’ll find in the Tesla Model S or the permanent-magnet design from the Model 3 and many other models. Instead, Audi’s e-tron products will likely use specially designed current-excited synchronous motors.

-

“If you are able to develop and produce the rotor [the portion of the motor that rotates] properly, you get the best of both worlds—the efficiency and higher output of a permanent-magnet motor and an advantage at high speeds,” Pint said, adding that Audi doesn’t want to deal with the mineral and raw-material risks. “So we’re putting a lot of effort into magnet-free electric motors with the power density of a permanent magnet but the costs of an induction motor.”

-

-

Quattro Performance for the 2020s?

-

While all of the above describes Audi’s first two all-electric vehicles, the e-tron and e-tron Sportback, the automaker has been mum about the third EV variant. Our best guess at this point is that it will end up being an even more performance-focused model.

-

-

Don’t Wait for an Audi Q7 Plug-In Hybrid in the U.S.

-

2019 Audi e-tron Quattro: Tesla’s Nemesis Spied in Production Form

-

Audi A8: Review, Photos, News, Info

-

-

While any system involving in-wheel motors can be ruled out—these are for now essentially restricted to concept-car flights of fancy—the four-motor setup in Audi’s recent Aicon concept is something to take seriously. As a potential tease for an all-electric reinvention of the Audi Quattro, it’s certainly intriguing.

- from Performance Junk WP Feed 4 http://ift.tt/2zaO4Cc via IFTTT

[eddiejpoplar]

Audi e-tron Quattro and Sportback: New Tech Details on the Tesla Model X Rival

-

Audi may have created a rather confusing pedigree for its e-tron brand; so far, there have been plenty of electric-motor-equipped teases but very few actual production vehicles beyond the A3 Sportback e-tron plug-in hybrid. But that will soon change as the company gives the e-tron brand three new battery-electric vehicles as centerpieces. The first will arrive in late 2018 for Europe and early 2019 for the United States.

-

Recent interviews we conducted with the automaker’s R&D chief, Peter Mertens, and its technical director for powertrain development, Siegfried Pint, give us a better idea of how the upcoming e-tron Quattro—and the swoopier e-tron Sportback variant that will follow it by less than a year—will shape up. These models will slot neatly between the Q5 and Q7 in size; the interiors are expected to closely follow the cabin look and layout of the new 2019 Audi A8, while exterior styling will closely hew to the appearance of the concepts bearing the same names.

-

-

Audi e-tron Quattro concept.

-

These models most certainly won’t be “compliance vehicles,” as we refer to electrified versions of existing gasoline models engineered to earn California zero-emission-vehicle (ZEV) credits. Together they’ll be the first true rivals for the Tesla Model X—and the first from the Volkswagen Group built on a new set of battery-electric vehicle components developed both for global sale and volume production. Just as with those models, they’ll be offered at multiple battery sizes (at least two, in Audi’s case), corresponding to the driving range that’s needed.

-

Next-Level Charging

-

Charging is an important part of market acceptance. Audi confirmed that 150-kW CCS fast charging will be the high-speed charging base level for the production e-tron. That rate will allow them to regain more than 80 percent of charge—more than 200 miles recovered—in a half hour. Officials hinted that these models have been engineered to handle higher-power (perhaps 350 kW) fast charging but that the technology probably won’t be enabled from the start. Mertens confirmed that Audi and Porsche are working closely together on the platform and some core components, although he declined to say whether the two VW Group brands are sharing in the 800-volt charging system Porsche is reportedly still considering for its Mission E sedan.

-

Although there’s currently no publicly accessible 150-kW charging in the United States, that’s expected to change dramatically by the time the e-tron SUV launches in 2019. At that point, there will be in the neighborhood of 200 to 300 sites with 150-kW capability in the U.S. via Electrify America, plus a smaller number of additional sites from other charging providers.

-

Mertens confirmed that inductive charging will play an important role in replenishing the e-trons’ batteries at home and work, although he wasn’t yet willing to disclose which supplier the company is working with. He did add that inductive charging will also be a “key technology” for the brand’s plug-in hybrids.

-

All-Weather Capability, Repeat Performance

-

Tesla’s vehicles tend to lose performance, we’ve observed on more than one occasion, after repeatedly tapping all-out acceleration. Audi’s Pint assured us that won’t be the case with these upcoming e-tron products, something we look forward to confirming in our own testing. “We have a requirement that the vehicle has to repeat its full power,” he said. “And the one parameter that enables you to repeat is having a low temperature in the electric-motor electronics and battery systems.”

-

To that end, these models will all have enclosed liquid cooling for the battery, traction motors, and some other components. “Batteries without liquid cooling will not be seen in the future, as the cell technology that we have these days only works within a very narrow [temperature] range,” Pint said he anticipates.

-

Furthermore, the e-tron has been engineered as a global vehicle, Pint emphasized, so a lot of attention has been paid to battery cooling and the durability of the entire power and drive systems. Both the e-tron and e-tron Sportback will follow a two-supplier strategy—with pouch cells from LG or prismatic cells from Samsung both being accommodated for in the development process. Pint reported no cooling issues with either of the cells but said he appreciates the flexibility. “Our modules are built so that we can exchange cells without changing the battery housing,” he said. “It’s the same for both cell formats.”

-

Better Traction/Stability Than Models with a Tailpipe, Audi Says

-

All e-tron Quattro models will have all-wheel drive, of course. Base models will have a two-motor system (one in back, one in front), while an upper-spec model will have a three-motor system (two in back, one in front). The latter arrangement, Pint said, makes the e-tron corner “like a hunting dog chasing a rabbit,” and it allows for the transfer of torque both front to rear and, at the rear, left to right. Pint said that the top-spec Audis are capable of applying up to 1500 lb-ft of torque to a single wheel. Not that they’ll do that in production: “Our suspension engineers aren’t able to apply all that [torque], so we have a limit for vehicle safety,” he said.

-

-

The system provides an opportunity for nuance, however. Because the torque can be fine-tuned within nanoseconds, the system can provide neutral handling across a wide range of speeds and dynamic situations, and it can support the lateral force at the tire, reducing polar inertia and theoretically making the car feel lighter than it is. It’s what gives the three-motor system in the e-tron SUV better all-weather traction and handling than any equivalent gasoline or diesel model, Pint said. So the three-motor will make it into production. “It’s already in testing, and I personally did some winter testing last winter,” he said. “It does perform really well.”

-

Motors That Avoid Conflict

-

Audi’s upcoming e-tron products will even be different at the motor level. The motors are seen as core components and thus won’t be farmed out to a supplier, said Pint. They’re developed and produced internally and, he revealed, probably won’t follow either the AC-induction design that you’ll find in the Tesla Model S or the permanent-magnet design from the Model 3 and many other models. Instead, Audi’s e-tron products will likely use specially designed current-excited synchronous motors.

-

“If you are able to develop and produce the rotor [the portion of the motor that rotates] properly, you get the best of both worlds—the efficiency and higher output of a permanent-magnet motor and an advantage at high speeds,” Pint said, adding that Audi doesn’t want to deal with the mineral and raw-material risks. “So we’re putting a lot of effort into magnet-free electric motors with the power density of a permanent magnet but the costs of an induction motor.”

-

-

Quattro Performance for the 2020s?

-

While all of the above describes Audi’s first two all-electric vehicles, the e-tron and e-tron Sportback, the automaker has been mum about the third EV variant. Our best guess at this point is that it will end up being an even more performance-focused model.

-

-

Don’t Wait for an Audi Q7 Plug-In Hybrid in the U.S.

-

2019 Audi e-tron Quattro: Tesla’s Nemesis Spied in Production Form

-

Audi A8: Review, Photos, News, Info

-

-

While any system involving in-wheel motors can be ruled out—these are for now essentially restricted to concept-car flights of fancy—the four-motor setup in Audi’s recent Aicon concept is something to take seriously. As a potential tease for an all-electric reinvention of the Audi Quattro, it’s certainly intriguing.

- from Performance Junk Blogger 6 http://ift.tt/2zaO4Cc via IFTTT

[robertvasquez763]

Onslaught of Batteries: Audi’s Electric Portfolio Comes into Focus

–

Audi is getting serious about its portfolio of battery-electric models and is set to launch three battery-electric vehicles over the next three years, CEO Rupert Stadler officially confirmed at the 2017 Vienna Motor Symposium. There will be two mid-size crossover models and a more compact premium car. The push to go full electric seems to have put plans to offer a plug-in hybrid model of the Q7 SUV in the U.S. on the back burner, as we reported earlier this year. Here are Audi’s definite future plans for its fully electric e-tron models, in chronological order:

–

Audi e-tron Quattro: Previewed by the e-tron Quattro concept (above) displayed at the 2015 Frankfurt auto show, this crossover will feature a spacious interior, a futuristic cockpit, and high-performance powertrains beginning at more than 300 horsepower. The top model will deliver about 430 horsepower, including a short-term peak of around 500 horsepower. Maximum torque should be around 590 lb-ft. This model will have one electric motor up front and two in the rear, and the top model will be able to reach 60 mph in about 4.5 seconds, with a governed top speed of 130 mph.

–

Based on Audi’s modular longitudinal (MLB) platform and with a footprint similar to that of an A6 but taller, it will come to market in late 2018 as a 2019 model. The base model is likely to be priced starting at around $60,000.

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Audi e-tron Quattro Sportback: If you’ve seen the Shanghai auto show concept (above), you have seen a good 80 percent of the final model. This is the Sportback version of the above described e-tron Quattro, and the concept’s looks are extremely close to those of the series production model. This includes the futuristic horizontal taillights stretching across the entire width of the vehicle. But it also includes the tiny camera rearview mirrors, which project the view onto OLED screens. Where legal, they will be offered; other markets get conventional mirrors. The interior will be cleverly differentiated from the e-tron Quattro, much as the Audi A7’s differs from that in the A6. We expect to see the same three-motor powertrain that is fitted in the e-tron Quattro, with peak power of around 500 horsepower for the top-of-the-line model. Pricing of the Sportback will be slightly above that of the regular model, carrying a premium of about $5000. It will appear on global markets in 2019 and be sold in the U.S. as a 2020 model.

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Audi e-tron premium compact: This as-yet-unnamed premium compact car will be slightly bigger than the A3 sedan, and it will be the first Audi based on the Volkswagen Group’s modular electric (MEB) architecture. It’s fitted with two electric motors, one up front and one in the rear; power output in top configuration will be around 300 horsepower, but there will likely be lesser entry-level configurations. A range of around 300 miles is a given. When it comes to market in late 2019 as a 2020 model, we expect an entry price point of less than $50K; it will directly target the Tesla Model 3 (if Tesla manages to get it to market by then). A U.S. launch of Audi’s most compact electric has not yet been decided, but it is a strong possibility. For hints about its looks, see the Volkswagen I.D. Crozz (below) and the Škoda Vision E; Audi’s compact electric is a variation on the same theme.

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The SUV Coupe Goes Electric: Audi Reveals e-tron Quattro Sportback Concept at Shanghai

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Audi A3 e-tron Plug-In Hybrid Tested

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First Drive in Europe: Audi Q7 e-tron Plug-In Hybrid

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Meanwhile, Volkswagen Group CEO Matthias Müller, also speaking at the Vienna Motor Symposium, gave an update on the company’s plans for hydrogen-powered cars: They won’t happen in the foreseeable future.

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