Audi unveils R8 based e-tron concept

The Audi R8 e-tron looks similar to the production spec Audi R8, but they share only nine common parts. The two electric motors housed within the R8 e-tron are supplied with energy by a large 48.6 kWh battery that develops 380bhp and a massive 820Nm of torque. They propel the high performance sports car to 100km/h in 4.2 seconds before reaching a restricted top speed of 200km/h. The battery charge is good for an operating range of 215km.

The Audi R8 e-tron weighs in at 1.7 tonnes with its body structure, including the side sections, weighing just 199kg - 23kg less than that of the R8 Coupe sibling. This was made possible thanks to a Multimaterial Space Frame, in which large parts made of carbon fibre reinforced polymer (CFRP) supplement the aluminum frame.

The lithium-ion battery, was developed and built in-house and reflects Audi's expertise in the fields of engineering and development. Bolted to the structure at 40 points, the battery doubles up as a supporting element and doubles the rigidity of the Multimaterial Space Frame.

The battery incorporates 530 prismatic flat cells to form a 'T' shape. It measures 235 centimetres long, sits 135 centimetres wide and stands 71 centimetres tall with the control unit included.

There are two options available for charging the battery. A 12-hour full charge with a 230-volt alternating current from the domestic mains while charging with direct current cuts the time to less than one hour, depending on the connected load. The battery is also recharged by means of energy recovery and the driver chooses the degree of energy recovery in three stages (plus freewheeling) at paddles on the steering wheel.

Being an EV, the R8 e-tron does not have an oil cooler, nor does it need intake air. Its side air inlets at the front as well as the sideblades are sealed with cooling air fed only through the lower part of the singleframe grille for thermal management. It flows through the forward structure in a duct and emerges again through an opening in the front lid.

The interior of the Audi R8 e-tron features CFRP surfaces, soft leather and Alcantara. The sport bucket seats have a CFRP chassis with each weighing only 17.6kg.

A 7-inch colour monitor is availabe for the driver information system and together with the MMI monitor, they show all important facts about electric driving. These include power consumption, the chosen energy recovery level, the amount of energy recovered and an animated graphic of the energy flow.

A high resolution active matrix organic light emitting diode (AMOLED) display measuring 6.8-inches acts as a digital rear-view mirror to display images from a small, very high performance camera. Audi has equipped the R8 e-tron with a synthetic e-sound, which is audible up to about 60 km/h. A small computer generates the frequencies from data supplied by the drive controller, and a sturdy speaker system on the underbody directs it to the road surface.