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.
Unless you work with Audi – and with the R&D department – you would not be able to drive those camouflaged prototypes that are seen in spy photos or even officially shown by the carmaker. They are usually super secret vehicles and only driven outside the factory premises when necessary for real-world testing.
Now Audi of America offers 75 customers a chance to feel like they are driving one of those prototypes with the RS e-tron GT ‘project_513/2’. This is a limited run model which closely resembles the prototype car. It has the original design used for global prototype testing with “e-tron” camouflage script on both the exterior and interior.
Audi is the latest brand in Malaysia to electrify, with 2 fully electric models (in multiple variants) to go on sale from mid-2023. The range will consist of the Q8 e-tron in SUV and Sportback versions, and e-tron GT quattro/RS e-tron GT. Malaysia will be among the first markets in the region to introduce the Q8 e-tron.
As the shipments have not arrived yet, PHSAM (PHS Automotive Malaysia), the Audi distributor, can only offer estimated prices for the models. Pricing for the Q8 e-tron is estimated to range from RM369,000 – RM476,000, while the e-tron GT quattro will have a price range estimated to be RM550,000 – RM643,000 for the two versions to be offered. The RS e-tron GT is estimated to have a price range from RM749,000 – RM769,000.
Like many other carmakers, Audi too has firm plans on electrifying its range and within this decade, it will have a range of models running only on electric power. The models will come under the ‘e-tron’ umbrella which is the name Audi uses for its battery electric vehicles (BEVs). Some are already in the market, the first having been launched in 2018, and more are on the way.
Not just a design exercise
The A6 Avant e-tron concept shows what a future BEV stationwagon will be like and Audi says it is not just a simple design exercise. Its lines and proportions preview future Audi production models which Premium Platform Electric (PPE) platform developed jointly with Porsche. The lines are a consistent development in Audi’s contemporary formal language, and significant elements like the closed Singleframe and the continuous strip of lights in the rear link it to the other e-tron Audis.
The concept car appears monolithic, as if from a single mould – particularly when viewed from the side. The gently backward sloping roof arch with the slanted D-pillar is a typical feature of Avant window design; the D-pillar rises from the stable base of the vehicle’s back end in an especially streamlined manner. The eye-catching quattro wheel arches effectively accentuate the width of the body and are simultaneously integrated organically into the side surfaces.
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’s fleet of BEVs. Also typical of e-tron models are the sleek, camera-based virtual exterior mirrors at the base of the A-pillar.
Advanced lighting units
The lighting units at the front and rear are technologically advanced. Digital Matrix LED and digital OLED technology make 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.
Three small, high-resolution LED projectors are built into each side of the body, transforming the ground beneath them into a stage when the doors are opened – small, extended, dynamic lighting effects greet the occupants with messages in their own language. The projectors also 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 different markets and approval regions as required.
The Digital Matrix LED front headlights deliver almost cinematic quality. If, for example, the car is parked in front of a wall during a break to recharge the battery, the driver and passengers can pass the time playing a video game projected onto it. Instead of on a small screen in the cockpit, they’ll see their current game’s virtual landscapes projected onto the wall in XXL format – and all this via the Digital Matrix LED headlights.
The rear end of the concept car features a new generation of digital OLED elements that, as a continuous strip of lights, act as a display for various digital light signatures and even dynamic lighting displays. The 3-dimensional architecture of the digital OLED elements – adapted to the shape of the body – makes it possible to perfectly integrate the night design into the overall look. This makes it possible to experience the dynamic light show not only in two dimensions – as was previously the case – but with an impressive, 3D spatial effect.
Cd of 0.22
Aerodynamics have always played a key role in Audi’s designs. The cd value of the 100 (C3) sedan at 0.30 was the lowest in its day back in the early 1980s. Now the electrically-powered Avant e-tron concept has a value of 0.22, said to be unprecedented in the electrified C-segment. This means greatly lowered aerodynamic drag, which initially translates into lower energy consumption to help extend range.
As this is a concept car, performance numbers quoted can be taken as targets: 700 kms of range with an 800V system, with 2 electric motors are capable of delivering 350 kW (469 ps) of total output and 800 Nm of torque to go from 0 to 100 km/h in less than 4 seconds.
High degree of variability inside
The Avant concept has the high degree of variability that has been a hallmark of this line of models since 1977. ‘Avant’ is a term derived from avant-garde and a 1995 Audi ad slogan. Measuring almost 5 metres in length and almost 2 metres in width, the A6 Avant e-tron is certainly a large and long car. It will not only provide comfortable accommodation but also take lots of cargo, just like the other Avant models past and present.
The petrol station of today has evolved through many decades from being just a small shack by the roadside with a fuel pump, to a spacious facility that not only sells fuel but also has a convenience store and motorists can have their cars washed as well. The layout of these facilities is pretty much standardised, apart from the buildings which may be more than mere blocks.
With the increasing number of electric vehicles – fully electric and plug-in hybrids – the role of the station will have to change and besides supplying fossil fuels, facilities for recharging will also be expected. However, because recharging at this time still takes a while, the concept of such facilities will need to be adapted.
Pilot project with new concept
Audi, which plans to have a range of more than 20 fully electric models by 2025, is also looking at this aspect since the key to success of electrification greatly depends on the charging infrastructure. The carmaker has come up with a concept which will be assessed in a pilot project in the second half of the year.
The concept is the Audi Charging Hub with high-power charging (HPC) stations that can be reserved in advance to provide a high level of planning security. A lounge area directly nearby will provide an attractive, premium place to pass the time.
Cubes form the foundation of the Audi Charging Hub and these flexible container cubes fulfil various technical requirements and house charging pillars as well as used lithium-ion battery packs for energy storage. The use of second-life modules from disassembled development vehicles doesn’t just give the battery cells a new, sustainable purpose – it also provides a great benefit in their suitability as ancillary storage for direct current. This makes complex infrastructure with high-voltage lines and expensive transformers unnecessary.
Thanks to this huge interim storage – roughly 2.45 Mwh – the 6 charging stations, which will have a charging output of up to 300 kW, only need a standard 400Vt high-voltage hook-up. That makes output starting at 11 kW per cube sufficient to be able to fill the three storage modules with a total capacity of 2.45 MWh continually and to charge them overnight.
Premium lounge area
Different electric vehicle models will have different charging times for their battery packs. The latest Audi models take a little longer than a coffee break; the e-tron GT, for example, can be recharged with enough energy for up to 100 kms in about 5 minutes, with a charge from 5% to 80% taking roughly 23 minutes under ideal conditions. Audi customers need not stand around waiting as the pilot facility will have a lounge for them to relax in, with amenities commensurate with the premium image of the brand.
Photovoltaic modules on the roof will provide additional green energy. This not only makes it easier to selection possible locations, but it also reduces the planning time required and the costs while also saving resources. In addition, the modular concept provides maximum flexibility and scalability. The hub can be transported, installed and adapted to the individual location quickly, largely independent of local network capacities.
“The charging hub embodies our aspiration for the electric era and highlights Audi’s commitment to ‘Vorsprung durch Technik.’ A flexible high-performing HPC charging park like this does not require much from the local electricity grid and uses a sustainable battery concept. Our customers benefit in numerous ways: from the ability to make exclusive reservations, a lounge area and short waiting times, thanks to high-performance charging. This is consistent with the premium concept,” said Oliver Hoffmann, Member of the Board for Technical Development of Audi AG.
Trials and practical test
The search for a location in Germany for Audi’s pilot project and talks with possible partners are currently underway. It is planned to go into operation in the second half of the year. The findings about day-to-day operations and customer acceptance generated from this will be decisive for further implementation of the concept.
“We are testing what the optimal technical solution is in a very realistic way. The focus in doing so is firmly on the needs of our customers,” said Hoffmann. ”The plan for the pilot phase also calls for drivers of other brand cars to be able to use charging stations that are open and not reserved as well as parts of the lounge.”
The approach being taken by Audi could be a practical way in the transition period as vehicles with combustion engines are gradually phased out (which will take some time). The Audi Charging Hub can complement the existing fuel station infrastructure and could be set up adjacent to an existing station, if the space is available.
