Audi e-tron previews future electric sportscar?
Four motors – two on each axle – take the Audi e-tron from 0 to 100km/h in 4.8 seconds. Collectively, the motors put out 313 horsepower but check out the torque figures – 4,500Nm! That looks like a seriously insane number but remember that the concept of gearing for an electric car is totally different (most only have one gear) so you don’t exactly have multipliers like the first few low gears on a regular stepped transmission.
The torque that each electric motor produces can vary as required to create a torque vectoring effect. Perhaps you can call this e-quattro or something, but Audi doesn’t have a name for it. The car’s water-cooled lithium ion battery pack will allow a maximum range of about 248km but don’t expect that kind of range if you’re really gunning it on the B-roads. The rated range is for the NECD driving cycle.
Yes, it’s an electric R8 and all, that is very interesting. But I feel the most interesting part about this e-tron concept is the car-to-x communications system. It’s basically a wireless communication system where the Audi and various other data feed providers (traffic lights, other cars, etc) around the car are able to help the car make intelligent decisions on various systems. For this to really work, such a system really needs a standardised protocol but it’s very very interesting to hear what can be achieved.
For example – a car has spun out on a slippery road in a blind curve. Other vehicles are approaching quickly. The stuck vehicle uses car-to-x to send out a warning signal reporting the precise location of the hazard (itself). A corresponding warning then appears on the navigation system display of the approaching cars.
Look after the jump for a full press release with full details on the e-tron as well as some very hi-res images which you can use as wallpapers etc.
September 16, 2009 @ 10:05 pm
Wao~~~
Recently got many e-concept car release…those will lead the future automotive market car~Bravo~
September 16, 2009 @ 10:23 pm
Electrc is fine, but design is ugly.
September 16, 2009 @ 11:45 pm
why can’t they put several ratios of gearing to electric motors?weight?even my childhood remote control car had 2 speed gearing
September 17, 2009 @ 12:00 am
cool dude
September 17, 2009 @ 12:02 am
U are cool.
September 17, 2009 @ 12:13 am
i believe because if there are multiple gears in an electric car, with the normal gear swapping mechainsm. the gearbox will fail prematurely, due to the insane amount of torque going through the mechanical linkages.
this is also what happened with the tesla roadster, originally it was meant for 2 speed gearing, but the gear box kept failing so it was down to 1 gear only.
anyway, regarding this car to x communication thingy. imagine if one day the AI went rogue, and our car starts driving themselves to cause us death.
its like CHRISTINE by Stephen King in the future. the horror!
September 17, 2009 @ 12:19 am
yeah of course for this car it doesnt need an extra gear to help it enourmous 4500nm!but it’ll steal quite a bit of fun of driving whithout shifting through gears doesn’t it?
September 17, 2009 @ 12:41 am
Electric motors can deliver maximum torque from 0 rpm while the internal combustion engine peak torque increase gradually due to certain type of losses at low rpm. Therefore, if you sized the electric motor correctly (can deliver peak torque to the wheels from 0 rpm to certain speed before it tapered down and the top speed is the required rpm for the car top speed), you might need only a single reduction gear. Or better if the torque-speed profile of the motor matches or exceed the torque-speed required at the wheels, then you don’t even need any gear reduction, which will eliminate drivetrain losses of around 8% or more.
There is also some type of ‘electrical’ gearing available which is called field weakening either done electrically by shifting or advancing the phase current to be offset of the back emf (for permanent magnet motor), hence increasing teh top speed of the motor at the expense of minor torque loss. Or by mechanically adjusting the airgap length between the rotor (where magnet is mounted on) and the stator (where the coils or winding is attached to). One of the first application of the mechanical field weakening was demonstrated on a special type of solar car motor back in the 90’s.
September 17, 2009 @ 12:47 am
Only for 2 people.
September 17, 2009 @ 2:21 am
Good stuff Jimmy Dean, thanks for sharing.
September 17, 2009 @ 3:44 am
Intricately crafted piece of marvelous machine. Absolutely beautiful!
September 17, 2009 @ 3:55 am
Hmmm.. Tt sounds like some brushless DC motors. Very technical… Jimmy must a working engineer.
September 17, 2009 @ 6:02 am
‘Man said,
September 17, 2009 @ 12:47 am
Only for 2 people.’
The Germans have a tradition to try out new technology in luxury class cars first.
Look i.e. at airbags, ABS, seatbelts, ESP, crashzones, etc. All went into production in Mercedes S-Class first. Audis Quattro was also introduced in a luxury sportscar first.
So expect to see an electric A1,A3 or A4 in a few years from now…
September 17, 2009 @ 9:00 am
Somehow this looks better than the R8 itself. Anyone agreed?
September 17, 2009 @ 8:52 pm
Looks fugly, putting on too much of strips make it looks dull and untidy
The electric thing is cool, though
September 17, 2009 @ 10:09 pm
4,500 Nm, if it doesnt burn any transmission, it will surely burn lots of tyres.
Since max torque already at 0 rpm, so it is pointless to have gear ratio, better stabler everything straight onto tar road.
September 17, 2009 @ 10:18 pm
This is not a zero emission vehicle – the emission came from smoked tyres.
September 18, 2009 @ 8:25 am
it looks like automotive manufacturers are the one spearheading EVs. i remember the huge catch-22 situation between them and the oil companies + govt. nobody wanted to build their part because the other half wasn’t available.
do we have a better future of using renewable energies to fuel the increase in consumption due to EVs/hybrids? will electricity prices go up? or will renewable energy sources be tapped DRY with the increase in such vehicles?
September 18, 2009 @ 2:47 pm
To T badged obsessors see this by yourself http://abcnews.go.com/Business/wireStory?id=8582250
September 18, 2009 @ 6:51 pm
why dis car use camera instead of using mirror 4 the side mirror?…
an electric car should save more energy right…
September 19, 2009 @ 1:45 pm
I think the GPS screen position is in front of the steering the best! unlike others that put in the center..
September 19, 2009 @ 11:29 pm
This is the ultimate towing machine! 4.5k Nm of torque so can pull 6-10 tonne car?
September 20, 2009 @ 1:47 pm
As you can see , many concept car has show out .But this Unbelievable Beautiful.
September 23, 2009 @ 11:15 am
-_-….why cant they fit nicer rims