[ad_1]
It is the Audi e-tron. The electric SUV can accommodate five passengers, starting at $ 74,800 and in the official Audi. test, has seen a range of more than 300 miles on a charge. The e-tron will hit Audi dealerships in mid-2019 and potential buyers will be able to book one now for $ 1,000.
This is Audi's first production electric vehicle and perhaps one of the most important to be announced since the Chevy Bolt. It has all that Audi buyers expect: Quattro AWD, technological cockpit, and a familiar fit. The e-tron embarks on a market with few competitors. It looks a lot like the new I-Pace Jaguar. Both vehicles offer similar technology and creature comfort at a similar price. But in a way, the Audi joins the Jag to compete with Tesla .
The e-tron is equipped with a 95 kWh battery that powers electric motors on each axle. AWD is standard and the vehicle offers two ways to recover lost energy. At this time, at launch, Audi does not publish the official lineup numbers and the EPA still has to certify and publish its own numbers.
Inside recalls the current Audi SUVs. The drivers are presented with Audi's virtual dashboard and several touch screens. The upper, center-mounted screen, manages the infotainment and navigation functions, while the bottom is used for climate control and text input. The cabin is equipped and equipped similarly to the rest of the Audi line, but the design language is unique to the e-tron.
It is clear that Audi has designed the e-tron to attract traditional buyers looking to get into electric vehicles by familiar means. The e-tron looks like the rest of the Audi range. And that's probably the goal. The automaker took its formula and established it on electric vehicles. The result is something new and familiar.
The Audi e-tron
The outside of the Audi e-tron screams. Sharp headlights, fluid body panels and angular and aggressive grid. It looks like a new version of Audi's medium-sized SUV, the Q5. The main difference in design lies in four small accent lamps on the side of the headlights and taillights. They are designed to look like a battery meter and the result is an intelligent but subtle nod of the e-tron power plant.
Made of aluminum, the e-tron battery weighs about 700 kg (1,543.2 lbs) and includes 36 pocket-type cells, the same type of system that Jaguar and Chevy use in their electric vehicles, while Tesla uses cylindrical battery cells.
Audi claims that the e-tron battery can be recharged to 80% in 30 minutes with a 150 kW charger.
The e-tron comes with a 240 volt / 40 amp residential level 2 charger, also compatible with 120 volt household plugs. Through a partnership, buyers will have the opportunity to use Amazon Home Services to prepare their home with the installation of a home charger.
E-tron buyers have access to the national Electrify America charging network and can use up to 1,000 kWh of power over four years. According to Audi, by 2019, this network will include five hundred 350 kW chargers in 40 states.
An electric motor is mounted on each axle motor, but both are not used at all times. At moderate speed, the rear engine is polarized. When the rear engine fails to power the vehicle, the front engine turns on.
Both engines and the single-stage transmission work together to bring the e-tron to 60 mph in 5.5 seconds. The towing capacity is set at 4000 lbs, which is sufficient for a small U-Haul trailer or two jet skis. Audi says the official power and torque figures will be released later.
Like other electric vehicles, the e-tron recovers energy through braking and deceleration. But Audi has taken the driving efficiency further.
By using navigation and radar and camera data, the e-tron can, in a predictive way, encourage the driver to release the accelerator at the appropriate times. If the vehicle knows that the driver should slow down, it will indicate to the driver its efficiency.
The power is returned to the battery from virtually all braking situations, whether by natural deceleration when the driver releases the accelerator or when the friction braking system is engaged. Audi claims that this system is responsible for up to 30% of the scope of the e-tron.
The brakes are electric. When the driver presses on the brake pedal, a control unit calculates the pressure to be applied and an electric motor provides the appropriate pressure. Audi claims that this system is 30% lighter than traditional vacuum brakes.
The amount of energy that the e-tron can recover is selectable by the driver via a paddle on the steering wheel. There are three settings. In the highest setting, the e-tron recovers energetically the energy each time the driver releases the throttle, allowing a pedal ride. But in the lowest setting, the e-tron mixes with no braking resistance.
The drivers are presented with some traditional switches and buttons. Most of the controls are contained on two touch screens. The top, centrally mounted screen measures 10.1 inches while the bottom is an 8.6 inch screen mounted so that the driver can access it while his hand rests on the gear selector. Both screens provide tactile feedback and audio.
This two-screen configuration is different from Tesla's unique and massive electric vehicle display. The top screen manages infotainment, navigation, phone and vehicle settings, while the bottom serves for climate control and text input for navigation. This arrangement is more in line with the traditional placement of other vehicles, which will likely reduce the learning curve often associated with entry into a vehicle with only touch screens.
This dual-touch screen system is not specific to the e-tron. It's the same equipment that Audi uses in its high-end sedans, and will likely be released to other Audi models in future generations.
The driver is presented with the digital dashboard of Audi that the manufacturer uses for several generations of vehicles. In this case, the group of instruments is presented on a screen of 1,920 × 720 with specific graphics at the e-tron. The driver can configure the screen to display the speedometer, power indicator and infotainment screens in different ways. Buyers can also opt for a head-up display.
Audi has created a companion app for the e-tron. Through the smartphone app, owners can enter the destination of the navigation, set the battery charging times and schedule the service with local resellers.
Racing the competition
The e-tron has few competitors but only one that counts: the Tesla X model, long the only option for buyers looking for an electric SUV. The X model is slightly larger, a little faster and can cost a lot more than the Audi e-tron. It also has less scope than unofficial numbers provided by Audi before the e-tron is certified by the EPA.
The Tesla is a leader while the Audi looks like another Audi. The Tesla offers autonomous driving modes while the Audi only has an adaptive cruise control. The Tesla can accommodate up to seven people while the Audi can accommodate five people. And the Tesla can beat exotic sports cars at 60 miles per hour.
The interior of the Tesla Model X looks like something different while the Audi e-tron feels like a new approach to something familiar.
Both vehicles start at similar prices. The Tesla Model X starts at $ 72,100 with a range of 239 miles. The Audi e-tron starts at $ 74,800 with an unofficial reach of more than 300 miles. However, to get the extra range in the Tesla, buyers have to opt for more expensive packages. An X model with a range of 295 miles starts at $ 88,600, and the P100D fast sports car starts at $ 125,800 – Tesla's self-driving features cost an additional $ 5,000.
In contrast, Audi offers the same powertrain and the same battery on the trim levels of the e-tron. For $ 81,700, buyers get the same range as the base model, but enjoy extra comfort, such as a head-up display, massage seats and parking assistance technology. For $ 86,700, buyers can opt for the First Edition pack which includes larger 21-inch wheels, limited paint, interior trim and night vision mode.
The Audi e-tron closely matches the I-Pace Jaguar. Jaguar has recently announced its electric crossover and is preparing to deliver the first vehicles. Compared to the e-tron, the I-Pace has a slightly lower range, speed and interior space. Prices for I-Pace start at $ 69,500.
The e-tron and I-Pace represent a new generation of EVs even more than a EV Tesla. Both vehicles come from companies with strong manufacturing output and, although they are futuristic, they look and feel mass produced. And it's a good thing. If electric vehicles are to become commonplace, auto giants need to build them to the same level as traditional cars.
Coming next year
The Audi e-tron will hit the United States in the middle of the 2019 year. Buyers can book the vehicle as early as today with a refundable deposit of $ 1,000.
When the vehicle arrives at dealerships, it will be Audi's most expensive SUV and one of Audi's most expensive vehicles. But compared to competitors, the e-tron is sold in the middle of the pack.
The e-tron will arrive on the market at a crucial time for electric vehicles. Car manufacturers are just starting to put their claims on the market. Chevy has become very popular with the affordable Bolt. Jaguar enters the crossover market with the $ 69,000 I-Pace. Tesla is the leading player in the field with the X model. The Audi e-tron is in a prime position between the Jag and the Tesla. The price is slightly higher than the Jag, but it is well equipped to withstand larger and more expensive X models.
The success of the e-tron will likely come from consumer awareness. Car buyers need to know that Audi has a new electric vehicle and Audi seems to understand it. Even before the launch of the car, the company began advertising for the EV with a big-budget TV commercial during the Emmys. Since the car has not been on the market for nearly a year, Audi has every opportunity to spread the word. However, this also leaves enough time for new competitors to enter the market and the landscape changes.
Source link
