Audi E-tron GT sedang menjalani peningkatan, dijangka dilancarkan menjelang penghujung 2024. Ini bertujuan untuk bersaing dengan Tesla Model S dan telah dikesan dalam ujian terakhir di Jerman. Redesign ini akan memberikan penampilan yang lebih serupa dengan Audi Q6 E-tron SUV yang akan datang.
Terinspirasi daripada Porsche Taycan, E-tron GT yang dikemas kini akan mempunyai bumper hadapan dan belakang yang lebih baik, gril baru, dan rim aloi yang baru. Lampu kekal sama, tetapi bahagian belakang akan mempunyai diffuser yang lebih ketara. Sisi akan melihat perubahan kecil, seperti side skirt yang baru.
In response to the growing interest in environmentally sustainable vehicles in Malaysia, PHS Automotive Malaysia (PHSAM), the distributor of Audi in the country, is expanding its offerings for electric vehicles (EVs). The company is introducing retail specials and exclusive packages for the Audi Q8 e-tron 55 and e-tron GT, making it more accessible for Malaysians to own and experience the joy of driving an all-electric Audi vehicle.
The recently introduced “Go electric” campaign offers potential owners the opportunity to enjoy savings of up to RM93,000, in addition to the significant savings provided by government duty exemptions. The campaign aims to make Audi’s electric vehicles more attractive to environmentally conscious consumers in Malaysia.
Global warming supposedly is said to have peaked in 1988. That is when it became a political agenda and a point of discussion for many, giving rise to environmentalist in the process. However, climate change, as global warming will become known as later, did not truly take the global stage until 2006 – thanks to one Al Gore.
The former Vice President of the United States became one of the most vocal environmental activists and his film ‘The Inconvenient Truth’ can be credited as opening the eyes of the world to the devastation of climate change.
However, it is not all Al Gore of course. The European and American governmental agencies such as the Environmental Protection Agency as well as the European Environment Agency too played a pivotal role in introducing regulations that directly affected car makers.
The work of the agencies and environmentalists forced automotive conglomerates to take action, and this inadvertently gave rise to the era of the Electric Vehicles (EV).
One could argue that EVs have been around for nearly a century, but it is undeniably that they have never been as popular as they are now. And there are all kinds of EV’s; small scooters, cheap EVs from China and then on the other hand of the economic spectrum, we have EVs such as the one we see here, the Audi e-Tron GT.
Besides being environmentally friendly, the great thing about EVs is that designers can practically throw out the rule book and do just about whatever they want. The regular rules don’t apply – there’s no longer a need for large vents as there is no engine to keep cool, the coefficient of drag also means that an EV needs to be as sleek as possible to maximise range. And this just means that designers can come up with some of the most visually striking cars ever seen.
The Audi e-Tron GT is one of those ‘visually striking’ cars. The world first caught a glimpse of it in The Avengers movie when Tony Stark drove it to his Malibu mansion. Tony Stark aka Iron Man, the character played by Robert Downey Jr, is an eccentric gazillionaire that builds specialized weaponry and drives exotic Audis.
The e-Tron GT made the transition from a big screen special to real world stunner about two years after the movie. We got to drive it around the Sepang International Circuit which proved to be the ideal place to experience its unbelievable power.
EVs and great power seem to be counter productive since EV’s are supposed to be the halo cars, the answer to all of our automotive problems. That is what car makers would like us to believe at least. But on the contrary, EV’s produce power more naturally than internal combustion engine. Unlike the latter, the problem with EV’s is not producing power but managing it, and power is available as easily and as immediately as turning on a light switch.
During the recent track day, there were two models to drive, the Audi RS e-Tron GT and the standard e-Tron GT. We could only drive one model through a draw of the luck system which basically meant you had to drive whatever car that was parked ahead of you, and by sheer luck we were invited into the cockpit of the most powerful of them all – the RS e-Tron GT.
The standard e-Tron is already a force to be reckoned with. It offers 476PS and 630Nm of torque, but it has a trick up its sleeve called a boost mode. When activated, power is hiked to 530PS and 640Nm, and this allows the car to accelerate from zero to 100km/h in an eye watering 4.1 seconds. Which is astonishing for a car that weighs about 2,300kgs.
If you think that is impressive, the RS version is the mad sibling. As compared to its sedate sibling, the RS has 646PS and scarcely believable 830Nm of torque. It weighs about the same as the standard e-Tron but it sees off the charge to 100km/h in a claimed 3.3 seconds. However, we managed to hit 100km/h in just three seconds, and there are rumours that it can do so in 2.8 seconds.
That type of performance figures are usually reserved for hypercars like Bugatti and Koenigsegg, so the fact that you can experience it in a car that costs under RM800,000 is quite amazing.
And the Audi is not all about its sexy design and stratospheric performance, it is also one that cocoons you in an interior that is a blend of new world tech and old-world quality.
A familiar smell greets you as soon as you step inside the e-Tron. All Audis smell the same thanks to a dedicated team called ‘the nose team’. First set up in 1985, the nose team has a singular purpose of ensuring that every Audi smells the same.
Ahead of you a flat-bottomed steering wheel waits in command with two shifters right behind it. The shifters are part of the two-speed automatic transmission system. Yes, this Audi has a transmission just like the Porsche Taycan, which is not surprising since both cars are pretty much the same and share the same platform, electric motors and internals. Only the shell and the interiors are different, but more on that later.
The two-speed transmission lets the e-Tron hit a top speed of 250km/h (245 for the non RS). Most EV’s do not have a transmission system with the electric motors feeding power directly to the wheels. This limits the top speed. So by using a two-speed transmission, the Audis (and the Porsches) have a higher top speed which is very much in line with their brand values – performance!
Besides that, there are twin digital monitors aft of the steering wheel. One doubles up as the meter panel and gives you all the usual vehicles telemetries while another is the usual infotainment system and such.
You will notice that the is no gear knob in the traditional sense, but rather it has been replaced by a gear switch which you slide up and down to select your desired movement.
The sports seats are finished in fine Nappa leather while the interior is dowsed in Dinamica microfiber finishing that feels soft and supple.
Despite sharing platforms with the Porsche Taycan, somehow the e-Tron feels bigger, which makes it feel more comfortable especially in the back seats. It can still feel a little tight for taller passengers, especially over longer distances.
The big question when it comes to EV’s is the amount of time it needs to recharge and how far can it go on a single charge. But yet again, the Audi does not disappoint. Packing a 84kWh battery, the e-Tron runs on a 800 volt platform that allows it to provide such high system outputs and yet reduce charging time.
When it comes to range and provided you don’t floor the pedal at every opportunity you get (which is admittedly difficult to do), Audi says the e-Tron will be able to travel 488km. And when it needs a juicing up, and provided you have access to a DC charger, the e-Tron needs just 22.5 minutes to recharge from 5% up to 80% state of charge. Audi did not disclose how long it will take to recharge with an AC charger but simply said that such a charger is better suited for overnight charging.
The Audi e-Tron GT is one of the most electrifying EV’s in Malaysia yet. And priced at RM587,990 to RM792,990, depending on the variant and specifications, the real question here is, should Porsche be worried that the e-Tron might steal some sales from the Taycan? Judging from looks alone, we think it might.
Specifications
Motors: Twin-electric motors
Power: 646PS (RS model in Boost Mode)
Torque: 820N (RS model in Boost Mode)
Transmission: Two-speed automatic
Weight: 2,345kg without driver
Charging Time: 22.5 minutes with DC charger (5% – 80% SOC)
Seven fully electric Audi e-tron models were formally introduced to the Malaysian market today by PHS Automotive Malaysia (PHSAM), the importer and distributor of Volkswagen and Audi cars for Malaysia.
Erik Winter, Managing Director of PHSAM remarked that response for the Audi e-tron has been overwhelming from dealers and customers alike. “This is the largest product release for Audi in Malaysia, and we are elated to be the first country in the region to launch the Q8 e-tron. These top-of-range, high performance luxury vehicles have been highly anticipated, and are now set to captivate the hearts and imagination of Malaysians seeking a sustainable and environmentally friendly mobility option,” said Erik.
Audi RS e-tron GT and e-tron GT quattro
Advanced aerodynamics with active components, such as controlled inlets to cool the front brakes, air curtains to direct airflow around the vehicle for minimum drag-inducing turbulence, and thermal management with cooling air as necessary, are used while keeping the traditional design lines of GT cars. Depending on the driving conditions, the rear spoiler can be extended into two configurations for the best airflow.
The sale of electric vehicles (EVs) in high volumes began 12 years ago, when Nissan introduced its LEAF. Since then, the number of EVs in use has grown rapidly and the question of what to do with the batteries at the end of their life powering vehicles is becoming a serious matter. The batteries can still be used for other purposes and some manufacturers are exploring practical ways of reusing them.
One possible second-life use case is being tested in India by a German–Indian start-up called Nunam. The aim of the project is to explore how modules made with automotive high-voltage batteries can be reused by installing them in electric rickshaws.
“The old batteries are still extremely powerful,” says Nunam co-founder Prodip Chatterjee. “When used appropriately, second-life batteries can have a huge impact, helping people in challenging life situations earn an income and gain economic independence – everything in a sustainable way.”
3 prototypes The non-profit start-up based in Berlin and Bangalore is funded by the Audi Environmental Foundation. Nunam developed the three prototype rickshaws in collaboration with the training team at Audi’s Neckarsulm site which, in turn, benefits from the intensive intercultural exchange. This is the first joint project between both AUDI AG and the Audi Environmental Foundation in addition to Nunam.
The 3 electric rickshaws are powered by used batteries taken from test vehicles in the Audi e-tron test fleet. They will appear on Indian roads in early 2023 when the pilot project gets underway with a non-profit organization. Women in particular will be able to use the all-electric rickshaws to transport their goods to market for sale, all without the need for intermediaries.
Looking for new uses The start-up’s primary goal is to develop ways to use old batteries as second-life power storage systems, thus both extending their lives and using resources more efficiently. “Car batteries are designed to last the life of the car. But even after their initial use in a vehicle, they still have a lot of their power,” Chatterjee explained. “For vehicles with lower range and power requirements, as well as lower overall weight, they are extremely promising.”
“ In our second-life project, we reuse batteries from electric cars in electric vehicles; you might call it electric mobility ‘lite’. In this way, we’re trying to find out how much power the batteries can still provide in this demanding use case,” he said.
Reusing e-waste E-rickshaws have an ideal eco-efficiency. With a high-energy-density battery pack and comparatively low vehicle weight, the electric motor doesn’t have to be particularly powerful – especially since rickshaw drivers in India travel neither fast nor far. While electrically-powered rickshaws are not an uncommon sight on the roads of the sub-continent today, they often run on lead-acid batteries, which have a relatively short service life and are often not disposed of properly.
At the same time, rickshaw drivers charge their vehicles primarily with public grid electricity, which has a high proportion of coal-fired power in India. Nunam has a solution for this as well: The e-rickshaws charge using power from solar charging stations. The solar panels are located on the roofs of the local partner’s premises. During the day, sunlight charges an e-tron battery, which acts a buffer storage unit. And in the evening, the power is passed on to the rickshaws.
This approach makes local driving largely carbon-free. The benefit is that the electric rickshaws can be used throughout the day – and still be charged with green power during the evening and night. In India, where the sun shines all year round, placing solar panels on the roof is an obvious solution.
Open-source platform encourages imitators Nunam will continuously monitor the e-rickshaws’ performance and range. The social entrepreneurs make all the e-rickshaw data they collect available to potential imitators on the open-source platform. In fact, imitation is expressly encouraged.
“Initiatives like the one pioneered by Nunam are needed to find new use cases for e-waste. Not only in India, but worldwide. So Nunam shares its knowledge to motivate more initiatives to develop products with second-life components that can drive the eco-social revolution forward,” said Audi Environmental Foundation Director Rudiger Recknagel.
And even after the battery has spent its first life in an Audi e-tron and its second in an e-rickshaw, it has not necessarily reached the end of the road. In a third step, the battery could still be used for stationary applications such as LED lighting. “We want to get everything possible out of each battery before recycling,” said Chatterjee.
‘PPE’ to most people today would refer to ‘Personal Protective Equipment’, the necessary items like gloves, facemask, overalls, etc that healthcare workers have to wear daily while attending to patients with COVID-19 infections. But for Audi, ‘PPE’ also means Premium Platform Electric, a completely new architecture which will serve as the technology platform for its high-end models.
The PPE is an essential element of the carmaker’s ‘e-volution’ towards electric mobility which will see, in late 2022, the launch of the first production models in the C-segment and then the B-segment. As a preview to this future range of fully electric models, Audi is displaying the 4-door A6 e-tron concept at Auto Shanghai this week.
Sporting the A6 emblem, the concept car underscores its place in the brand’s luxury-class model series. This model (earlier known as the Audi 100) has represented the brand in the segment since 1968. Different bodystyles have been added over the years, including the Sportback, which was introduced as the A7.
An electrified drive system was offered with the A6 Hybrid in 2011, while the current A6 TFSIe made its debut in 2019 with a plug-in hybrid drive (PHEV) that could give a claimed electric range of up to 91 kms.
Fully electric propulsion
Unlike the latter, however, the A6 e-tron concept relies exclusively on electric power, based on the future PPE platform. At the same time, it also represents an entirely new design concept; the only thing it has in common with the current A6 are its dimensions. The 4.96-metre long, 1.96-metre wide, and 1.44-metre high body is designed as a Sportback, its lines are an obvious reflection of the systematic advancement of Audi’s current design language. This design language and the form of the A6 e-tron concept will be applied to Audi’s future production models.
For its part, the PPE technology will ensure that what the car’s lines imply translate into dynamic driving performance and everyday suitability befitting use as a primary vehicle. Specifically, this means that, depending on the selected drive system and model version, an A6 e-tron should be able to travel more than 700 kms on a fully charged battery pack, with the most powerful variants able to sprint from 0 to 100 km/h in less than 4 seconds.
Excellence in aerodynamics
Aerodynamics has always played a key role in Audi’s long history. In the early 1980s, the Audi 100 with a Cd of 0.30 was the more aerodynamically efficient production car available. The A6 e-tron concept continues that achievement with a Cd of 0.22, unprecedented in the electrified C-segment. The significantly low aerodynamic drag means lower energy consumption and therefore extended range. At the same time, fine-tuning in the wind tunnel has resulted in an organic design with elegance and harmony – instead of an ugly teardrop or bubble shape. The form appears monolithic, as if from a single mold, particularly when viewed from the side.
The wheel arches are connected by the specially sculpted battery area above the rocker panel, which is highlighted with a black inlay – a design element that is now a hallmark of the Audi brand’s fleet of EVs. Also typical of e-tron models are the sleek, camera-based virtual exterior mirrors at the base of the A-pillar.
Looking at the front, it is immediately apparent that the A6 e-tron concept is electrically-powered. A characteristic feature is the large enclosed Singleframe grille, which is bordered at the bottom by deep air intakes for cooling the drivetrain, battery, and brakes. The flat headlight bezels extend far into the sides of the laterally sweeping front end, underscoring the horizontally aligned architecture of the vehicle body.
The body colour
Heliosilver is the name of the technoid-looking body colour which accentuates the shapes of the body with a three-dimensional depth effect (particularly visible in the area around the quattro wheel arches). The Singleframe grille, also in Heliosilver, forms a striking contrast to the deep matte black of the frame.
Additionally, the paint offers tangible technical benefits that reduce energy consumption. This is because it can reflect a significant percentage of thermal radiation in sunlight, thus reducing the amount of energy that enters the car’s body and its cabin. The result is that the occupants do not need to use the air conditioning as much, a factor that has an impact on energy consumption and can enhance range.
Advanced lighting technology
The flat headlights and taillights are slim and flush with the overall composition of the lines. Digital Matrix LED and digital OLED technology makes it possible to achieve maximum brightness and a wide range of features even with a minimal surface area, while at the same time offering customizable light signatures. The small, high-resolution projectors can display warning symbols on the ground to warn a bike rider that the car door is about to open, for example.
Another four high-resolution LED projectors – inconspicuously integrated into the corners of the vehicle – generate turn signal projections. The design of these projections can be modified to address regulations in different markets and regions.
The rear end of the concept car features a new generation of digital OLED elements that, as a continuous strip of lights, act like a display. They can also be used to create almost unlimited customizable variations of digital light signatures and dynamic lighting displays that can be adapted to the customer’s personal taste.
High ground clearance, low ride height
The PPE is designed specifically for battery-electric drive systems and can therefore take full advantage of all the benefits of this technology. The key element is a battery module between the axles that holds around 100 kWh of energy in the A6 e-tron concept. The use of the entire vehicle base makes it possible to achieve a relatively flat layout for the battery. This means that for the first time, it will be possible to use this single platform for both vehicles with a high ground clearance and vehicles with a decidedly dynamic, flat architecture without any changes to the basic architecture.
Fast charging, high range
800V charging technology allows the battery pack to be charged with up to 270 kW, making recharging time very short time – provided the relevant fast-charging system is available. This technology makes charging times possible that come close to a stop to refuel a car powered by a combustion engine. Just 10 minutes would be enough to recharge the battery to a level sufficient to power the vehicle for more than 300 kms. In less than 25 minutes, the 100-kWh battery pack can be charged from 5% to 80%.
The battery size and wheelbase of PPE vehicles are scalable, making them suitable for use in different market segments. The ratio of a fairly long wheelbase and very short overhangs is something they will all have in common. The occupants will benefit from the long wheelbase which allows a longer interior and more legroom.
Quattro all-wheel drive
The absence of the traditional a transmission tunnel (because of the EV architecture) also contributes to the spaciousness but it does not mean that the quattro all-wheel drive system is omitted. It can be included as there can be one electric motor each mounted to the front and rear axles that use electronic coordination to deliver all-wheel drive on demand and achieve a perfect balance between driving dynamics and energy efficiency. The 2 electric motors are capable of delivering a total output of 350 kW/800 Nm.
In addition, the e-tron family will also include basic versions optimized for minimum consumption and maximum range – in this case, propulsion will come from a single electric motor mounted to the rear axle.
Audi will return to the international rallying arena in 2022 when it competes in the Dakar Rally. The brand shot to prominence in the World Rally Championship in the 1980s with its superior all-wheel drive Quattro, winning a number of championships and revolutionizing the sport. Then it competed in other areas, a dominant force in the World Endurance Championship (WEC) endurance racing three years in a row. More recently, it has participated in Formula E, the all-electric single-seater series, which has served to highlight the brand’s pioneering technology in electrified vehicles.
In the 1980s, Audi was the dominant force in the World Rally Championship with its all-wheel drive Quattro.
“Formula E has accompanied the transformation phase at Audi. Now we are taking the next step in electrified motorsport by facing the most extreme conditions. The many technical freedoms offered by the Dakar Rally provide a perfect test laboratory for us in this respect,” said Markus Duesmann, Chairman of the Board of Management and Board of Management Member for Technical Development and Product Lines at Audi AG.
First carmaker to commit alternative drive for rally
Audi is the first carmaker that has committed to develop a viable alternative drive concept for the Dakar Rally, making it a pioneer in motorsport once again. It has a prototype with the alternative drive concept that combines an electric drivetrain with a high-voltage battery and a highly efficient energy converter for the first time.
With the use of an alternative drive concept in the Dakar Rally, the vehicle will be driven in the most extreme conditions. The aim is to permanently improve the performance of the electric drivetrain and the battery in the years to come. The experience gained in this process should then be incorporated into the further development of future electrified production models.
AudiSport has been involved in Formula E with the ABT Schaeffler team.
Exit from Formula E after 2021
The Dakar Rally will replace Audi’s factory involvement in Formula E, which will no longer be continued in the form of an AudiSport factory team after the 2021 season. The use of the newly developed Audi powertrain by customer teams like ABT Schaeffler will remain possible beyond next year.
“A multifaceted commitment to motorsport is and will remain an integral part of Audi’s strategy,” said Duesmann. “We want to continue demonstrating the brand’s slogan ‘Vorsprung durch Technik’ in international top-level motorsport in the future and develop innovative technologies for our road cars.
The Audi R18 won three years in a row at Le Mans,
It is also learnt that Audi will return to endurance racing and take part in the new LMDh category. This is a cost-effective formula as the same car can be used in the WEC as well as the American IMSA series.
“We are intensively preparing to enter the new sports prototype category LMDh with its highlight races, the Daytona 24 Hours and Le Mans 24 Hours,” confirmed Julius Seebach, Managing Director of Audi Sport GmbH. “The most important message for our fans is that motorsport will continue to play an important role at Audi.”
Technology developed in competition, which has extreme conditions, will be used in the advancement of electrified production models like the Audi e-tron.
2022 Dakar Rally
The Dakar Rally began in 1997 as a rally-raid event from Paris to Dakar, on the west coast of Africa. Traditionally held at the start of the new year, it came to be the most gruelling off-road event. It ran the same route up till 2007 and then security concerns forced the organisers to find a new and equally challenging route, which was in South America.
So from 2009 (the event had to be cancelled in 2008 when terrorist threats were too serious), it was held on the western side of South America in Argentina, Bolivia, Chile and Peru. The name was retained as it had become legendary.
Mitsubishi Motors, with the Pajero, has had the most number of wins (12) in the Dakar Rally.
A MINI in the 2020 Dakar Rally, held for the first time in Saudi Arabia.
However, the teams have been uncomfortable with the logistical complexities and high cost of travelling to South America, while the host countries have been less willing to pay the organisers the extremely high fees for the event. This has led to the event moving to Saudi Arabia for 2020 as the Kingdom has been willing to sign a multi-year contract. The shorter distance from Europe is also more acceptable to the teams. So it is likely that when Audi returns in 2022, it will be competing in the desert sands of Saudi Arabia.
Audi’s future of electric is now further expanded with the launch of their second e-tron model line-up in the form of the 2020 Audi e-tron Sportback. Combining a dynamic SUV coupe with Audi’s signature electrification, the new Audi e-tron Sportback promises great clean range together with state-of-the-art features. (more…)
