The production version of the E-tron electric SUV will be powered by a two-motor powertrain, 95kwh lithium-ion battery. The company claims that the car is capable of 150kWh DC fast-charging, which it says is faster than the Teslasupercharger network.
The car was shown at a press event at Siemens heavy-duty electrical engineering test centre in Berlin. The exact output of each e-tron motor is currently still a secret. “We have decided to keep the e-tron name and use it like quattro,” a source said, “The first of our sporty models was simply named the Audi Quattro. Our first all-electric car will simply be badged Audi e-tron.”
The battery will be mounted in the floor, between the front and rear axles, and it will use pouch-type cells, packaged into 36 shoe-box sized models. There are 12 pouches in each module and they are supplied either by LG Chem or Samsung, and each rated at 60Ah – higher than those used by both Nissan and Tesla. The batteries are currently 700kg of the e-tron’s kerb weight. Based on power at homes or AC power, it’ rated at 11kW, although an optional 22kW charger will be on the price list.
The 150kW DC fast-charger can fill the battery to 80 per cent capacity in 30 minutes according to the company and it will take advantage of the IONITY rapid-charge network that is being set up by a consortium of Europe’s car-makers.
