Audi’s first production electric car will be a crossover to fight the Tesla Model X, the German luxury carmaker said Wednesday.
Concept drawings and initial specifications released by Audi detailed their crossover that is powered by three electric motors — borrowed from its R8 e-tron concept car — with a proposed range of over 300 miles. According to Audi, the crossover, which is called the “e-tron quattro concept,” would slot between the company’s 182.6-inch Q5 and 200.3-inch Q7. Tesla’s Model X is 197 inches long.
The crossover’s lithium-ion battery would give the car a range more than 300 miles.
The crossover will make its first appearance at the Frankfurt Auto Show next month.
According to Audi, the SUV would be incredibly slippery. Its 0.25 coefficient of drag would be the same as a Toyota Prius. The car would use moveable aerodynamic elements in front, on its sides and at the rear of the car. In addition to moveable aero, the crossover will have a completely flat underside.
Audi releases new model to fight a car that hasn’t been released yet!
Film at 11.
Tesla promises to ship yet this year (probably early next year).
Audi has a drawing with a whole lot of blur.
If its doesn’t say PHAETON than I’m not buying.
I’m picturing you and Jack lining up outside a VW dealership the night before the new Phaeton release (a la Apple iPhone) wearing VW fanatics tshirts, ready to not only ride, sign and drive, but also prepared to schedule your first service appointment.
Stylists!
What kind of specially bred, low-gravity cleanroom mutants have they created for that job and how come *they’ve* been able to use stem cells for all the years it took to do that?
Looks great. As urban traffic increases, these make more sense, but only if gas/oil moves back up to its long term price ranges. Most of these cars are leased, which means that the residual is a WAG. Yet the residual determines the depreciation element of a lease. Who is going to be the second buyer of a car that might need a $35K battery??
If Audi offers a heavily subsidized lease…maybe. Otherwise let someone else buy an aluminum bodied, active aero aided, battery dependent Audi.
I don’t see all that black plastic giving it the same sleekness as the current Tesla, but I have to say, that wonkiness on at the bottom edges of the front is pretty cool looking to me. In an “unbelievably expensive to replace” kind of way of course. Fins coming out of intakes? No way that survives to production right?
It’s German engineered. Why wouldn’t you trust the durability and reliability of VW and Audi servo motors and plastic molds? ;)
An EV with that kind of range will *need* a Supercharger-type network, or forget about it.
The weird proportions are due to the battery taking up the bottom 12″ of the chassis :-)
The 26″ wheels will be an extra-cost option.
No trickle-down benefits for the aspiring middle-class EV owner from this move, but it’s encouraging to see mainstream automakers take Tesla seriously enough to imitate.
Bravo Tesla. Perhaps Tesla itself will cease to exist in it’s present form for various reasons, but they have undoubtedly created an entirely new ‘must have’ segment that all the major premium brands feel forced to emulate.
It seems that the German auto makers periodically issue these press releases. There’s no date, no real details, no car. It has become an annual ritual.
How come Audi doesn’t rate a bazillion dollars a share price for showing a sketch of something that actually will be, while The twits of Wall Street go into paroxysms of ultimate twitch every time Musk speaks of something that may be?
Because Musk is busy selling EVs, while the rest of ’em are showing sketches.
The more the merrier, but there’s a long history of vaporware in the EV space.
I’m still putting money on VAG, BMW, Merc or some dark horse Chinese brand making a hostile bid for Tesla.
As long as the stock price continues to be super inflated, anyone would be insane to consider an acquisition.
The wheels aren’t big enough. Don’t they know that modern styling requires 48 inch wheels?
You know, with those 48″ wheels come the ultra super low profile tires, and since sidewall compliance is so much reduced, the latest designs substitute low carbon steel for the rubber compounds in the tires. Also, to promote a more “green” image, the wheels will no longer be made from cast aluminum or stamped steel; the latest trend in wheel design uses select hardwoods in a spoke and rim design with large open spaces between the round-section spokes for maximum brake cooling.
The only problem is that for reasons I haven’t quite understood yet, these wheels seem to limit engine horsepower – typically to 1 HP, but fairly often 2 HP (in Russia, often 3 HP); although for certain special applications up to 40 HP (OK, OK, 40 MP to be strictly accurate) can be made available.
That’s .04 more slippery than a 5000. And with the shape as blocky and tall as it is, that’s pretty impressive.
5000.
I knew you were talking about the Audi 5000 again.
All Audis and modern sedans owe themselves to it!
We may have to nominate the Audi 5000 for sainthood in the Church.
Please welcome, bishop Quattro!
youtube.com/watch?v=e4q6eaLn2mY
And the Audi 100 (5000) was only .05 more slippery than the Ro 80. And that was back in 1967.