2012 Audi R8 e-tron First Impressions

[ahmed_7erzon]

The sky, space in fact, is the limit! The electrification of the automobile will bring tremendous change with benefits that far outweigh the downsides. I'm talking about performance, handling, the all-important fun-to-drive factor and, as a bonus, no emissions from the tailpipes.


The electric car need not be boring. Audi, and many other manufacturers, are seeing to that. They may not be alone on this crusade, but Audi will bring its own unique signature twists to as many of these products as it can.

Enter the R8 e-tron. As the “numero uno” member of Audi's e-Performance program, this stunning car has it all where it counts. To be considered part of e-Performance, the car must be powered by a high power and energy battery. This one is.

As you will explore my reviews on the three electrified Audi products I got to briefly drive, you will note that the Ingolstadt-based car company is not pigeon-holing itself into one specific manner of electrification. In fact, the three different vehicles I got to were all motivated by distinct applications of electric power.

4 motors
The R8 e-tron is by far the most flamboyant and enticing of the three. The car you see in the pictures is a working pre-production prototype. Other than the sheetmetal, what makes this car stand out is its four electric motors, known as asynchronous motors, each working its own wheel. That's right, e-quattro...

There is no mechanical link between each wheel, which is very interesting as it is conceivable that the car could be driven by a single wheel. For coasting, this could be a way to reduce battery depletion. There I go pretending to be an engineer...

It is important to note that this setup is not solely for performance. Audi is having fun with the R8 but this is a modular system (meaning that its application is possible on a large scale) that can and will be the source of motivation for other sports cars all the way down to small cars.

What will change are the output numbers. The R8 e-tron is a powerhouse; its peak yield is of 230 kW or 313 hp. Torque amounts are astronomical: 4,500 Nm or 3,319.03 lb-ft, at the wheels, available from zero. It's no surprise then that the R8 e-tron launches to 100 km/h in only 4.8 seconds.

This time may be off by about a second on the R8 5.2, but the kick-in-the-pants is that much more impressive.

Battery and weight Consisting of numerous lithium-ion single-cells, the battery pack is wired in series and parallel to ensure maximum output. Many of us know about powertrain loss or engine efficiency. This is what energy is left going to the wheels once all the parasitic accessories munch on their portion of the power generated by the engine. In a typical car, roughly 30% of the horsepower and torque will make the wheels spin. In the case of an electric motor, between 70 and 80% actually motivate the car. Specifically, in this case, the battery stores 53 kWh of energy and the usable portion amounts to 42.4 kWh. As there are fewer moving parts, the electric vehicle is all the more efficient. One of the major issues with batteries is weight. The R8's pack tips the scale at a whopping 550 kg (1,210 lb). By comparison, the R8's V10 and 6-speed 'box make up roughly 400 kg of the car's 1,685-kg total weight. The e-tron, itself, comes in at just over 1,600 kg. As the e-tron is lighter, we would expect it to be quicker than the V10, but as battery technology progresses, the weight will decrease, efficiency will grow and performance, well, will be measured in warp-speed increments. Fast range My test drive of the R8 e-tron was quick, teaser-like quick. What I can tell you is that hammering the throttle on this does little more than crush your brain into the back of your skull. It is difficult for me to say with precision what I also felt, given the lightning-fast romp, but the controls felt heavy, almost under-assisted. That may also be the result of a long day of presentations and a tour of Audi's brand-spanking-new Aggregate Center. In the end, I was seriously left wanting more. The Audi rep in the car with us was egging us on, telling to mash the gas. Driven this way, the e-tron’s 250-km range would never hold true. Given that there were many journos in line to drive the car, this is as good as I could expect. Coming to us? Audi has formally announced that the R8 e-tron will make it to production and be available by the end of 2012. As far as where the car will be sold or leased, that information has yet to become available. My best guess is that it will come to North America, however it will be reserved for specific markets only, at least until a network of charging stations become a reality. I'm thinking Los Angeles, New York and Toronto.