Audi E-tron GT Concept Arrives Earlier Than Expected
Scheduled to make its official debut at the 2018 LA Auto Show later this week, Audi decided to unwrap the e-tron GT Concept early — bringing in celebrity and friend of the brand Robert Downey Jr. to help do the honors.
While photos of the event were off limits, Audi was kind enough to provide a few media-approved renderings of what appears to be an A7 — sans grille — wearing the company’s signature EV camouflage. This is the e-tron GT, ready to do battle with Tesla’s Model S once Audi puts it into production. According to German outlet Bild am Sonntag, an uncamouflaged version of the concept should appear in Los Angeles on Wednesday — giving the manufacturer an opportunity to parse out the important details. However, we already have some of the pertinent specs.
Audi claims a 248-mile range for the model. While not class-leading, the e-tron GT is said to be capable of recouping 80 percent of its battery in less than 12 minutes. Of course, you’ll need to find a 350 kWh charger to see recharging times anywhere near that brisk.
Electrify America (a subsidiary of Volkswagen Group) has only just started adding 350-kWh points to the United States’ charging infrastructure. Perhaps the situation will have sorted itself out by the time the GT hits the consumer market. If not, the brand’s partnership with Amazon’s Home Services should still be operational and they’ll gladly help you beef up your home charging solution for a price.
The other big question is one of performance, specifically in relation to how the futuristic Audi stacks up against the Model S. Germany hasn’t issued any detailed specs, but an inside source claimed that the GT should boast a 0-to-60 time well below 4 seconds. Considering it’s supposed to be based heavily on Porsche’s upcoming Taycan, it would be disappointing if the e-tron wasn’t at least a little beastly. Fortunately, it sounds as if the e-tron will be more than swift enough to impress most passengers while allowing its owner to feel like they’ve really helped the environment.
Audi intends to launch a production model that’s highly representative of the concept in 2020.
Expect more details and clearer images soon.
[Images: Audi]
A staunch consumer advocate tracking industry trends and regulation. Before joining TTAC, Matt spent a decade working for marketing and research firms based in NYC. Clients included several of the world’s largest automakers, global tire brands, and aftermarket part suppliers. Dissatisfied with the corporate world and resentful of having to wear suits everyday, he pivoted to writing about cars. Since then, that man has become an ardent supporter of the right-to-repair movement, been interviewed on the auto industry by national radio broadcasts, driven more rental cars than anyone ever should, participated in amateur rallying events, and received the requisite minimum training as sanctioned by the SCCA. Handy with a wrench, Matt grew up surrounded by Detroit auto workers and managed to get a pizza delivery job before he was legally eligible. He later found himself driving box trucks through Manhattan, guaranteeing future sympathy for actual truckers. He continues to conduct research pertaining to the automotive sector as an independent contractor and has since moved back to his native Michigan, closer to where the cars are born. A contrarian, Matt claims to prefer understeer — stating that front and all-wheel drive vehicles cater best to his driving style.
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What is the life expectancy of the battery pack using that charge rate? What's the cost of a replacement battery pack?