Audi, like most of the traditional car manufacturers, have been very busy developing a new range of electric vehicles. The latest range has been named E-Tron and will combine some electric versions of traditional models along with brand new creations. While the project is very much in its infancy, enough sneak peeks and news have been released that we can start to build a picture of what the range will look like in reality.
The development of the new models has been spearheaded by the Artemis engineering team, Audit’s high-tech car development arm, but they have also been assisted by Volkswagen Automotive Group’s other teams in the R&D relating to new software and technology. As such, the tech we will see in the new Audi models will likely also be present in future Volkswagen and Porsche vehicles. The main technology developments have focused on new batteries and more efficient electric motors. In addition, the team have developed new 5G connectivity functions, augmented reality and cloud updates.
So far, we have seen spy photos of the E-Tron GT and Q4 E-Tron, also available in the Sportback edition. The Q4 has obviously been designed to replicate the existing traditionally fuelled Q4 on our roads and it is believed that similar equivalents will be created to replace other iconic Audi models. However, the GT has been developed independently and many have commented on its resemblance to some existing Porsche models.
This week, Audi announced their plans to release a new A9 E-Tron in 2024. The “highly efficient electric car” will be an extension of the Audi Aicon project which was showcased at the 2017 Frankfurt Motor Show. Externally, the car will closely resemble an A7 in terms of size, but the additional space created by an electric engine will make the interior more like an A8.
Audi have made no secret of their plans to dominate the luxury electric vehicle market, in tandem with their sister brand, Porsche. This latest model is central to this electric future. The A9 E-Tron will be a technical showcase for the group, with plans to launch up to 75 pure-electric and 60 plug-in hybrid models between now and the end of 2024 across the Audi, Bentley, Lamborghini, Porsche, Seat, Skoda and Volkswagen brands. Audi alone have set aside over £10 billion towards EV R&D.
New Audi chairman, Markus Duesmann aims to “quickly and unbureaucratically create technologies for electric and highly automated driving”. We cannot wait to see what the future holds for Audi and we will be waiting with bated breath to find out.
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