Audi confirms production of electric sportscar E-Tron, introduced at the Frankfurt Auto Show
It's official. Audi will introduce a plug-in all-electric sports car version of the supercar R8, in 2011 or 2012. The Audi E-Tron was introduced to oohs and aahs at the Frankfurt Auto Show in September, but as a concept car.
The E-Tron was one of the big hits of the all-important auto show -- no easy feat, since there were 85 concepts and production models introduced.
VIDEO of Frankfurt Auto Show Introduction BELOW
Audi chairman of the board, Rupert Stadler, told me and all the other journalists at the Frankfurt news conference that Audi hoped to have one thousand E-Tron vehicles on the road by 2014. That time table now seems to be moved up, according to AutoWeek.
The Audi E-Tron is gorgeous. It's a bit shorter and lower than the R8, but not as low or short as the popular Audi TT sportscar.
The Audi E-Tron also has a revolutionary design for an electric vehicle, with four electric motors, one on each wheel. Does this make the PHEV an electric version of Audi's legendary Quattro all-wheel-drive system? There's also a powerful Lithium Ion battery pack, positioned behind the passenger cabin for better weight balance. Speaking of weight, Audi keeps it down with lightweight body parts made of fiber-reinforced plastic, and there is some dramatic styling with vents that open and close depending on when the batteries need cooling.
The E-Tron has a range of 154 miles between recharging. We don't know yet what it will cost, or whether it will arrive on the market with the E-Tron name or something else.
Audi also is developing hybrid vehicles, including a crossover Q5 reportedly to launch in the 2011 model year. But that could be 2010. Audi has teased me with announcement of a major new launch just before the Los Angeles Auto Show begins the first week in December. Could it be the Q5 hybrid ahead of schedule, or another hybrid? Stay tuned.
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