Audi R8 e-tron, A1 e-tron in Q5 Hybrid Quattro
Well, let's be precise: Q5 Hybrid Quattro is a production car (it goes on sale next year) and both e-thrones are in the concept car class (although their direct successors are likely to hit the market in about two years).
R8 e tron
The sportiest, but at the same time the cleanest among the tested trio is, of course, R8 e tron... Four asynchronous electric motors are installed on one wheel. With a total constant power of 313 "horsepower" (amperage can reach 335) and torque up to 600 Nm, the R8 e-tron is a thoroughbred athlete and deservedly bears the designation R8.
And since it's an R8, the engineers have gone out of their way to make the driving experience (with the exception of, of course, the starting feel that only an electric car can offer) as close to the driving experience as possible. R8. Therefore, the batteries and control electronics were installed just behind the driver's back, so that the weight distribution remained the same as in the R8 5.2 FSI, i.e. 42:58.
They are similar too capacity: to 100 kilometers per hour, the R8 e-tron consumes only three tenths more than its 4-liter petrol counterpart (and exactly one second more than the 2-horsepower version of the 525 FSI), that is, 5.2 seconds, of course, with less power , especially due to the huge torque and low weight - only 4 kilograms compared to 9 kilograms for the lightest gasoline and almost 1.600 kilograms for the more powerful one.
The batteries weigh 550 kilograms and can store 53kWh of energy, of which a good 42kWh can be used (the rest is a reserve designed to prevent the batteries from running out completely as it harms them). Because the R8 e-tron, like the A1 e-tron, is still a concept, range is less important, with Audi predicting a range of around 250 kilometers for the final version.
Battery can be charged with classic 200 volts, then charging takes from six to eight hours, and at higher voltages (380 V or at standard fast charging stations) only two and a half hours.
It is also interesting that it is torque coefficient between the front and rear axles, as in the petrol R8, that is, 30:70, and of course, since there is one engine next to each wheel, it is also controlled by the computer and adapts not only between the axles, but also between the individual wheels on the axle ...
So by distributing the torque, the computer can help control the car's behavior - it helps it turn into a corner and helps control unwanted slips. We didn't test this on a very short test drive of one of the few prototypes in existence, but it quickly became apparent that the city's R8 e-tron was indeed fast.
The phrase "kicks in the ass" is perfectly appropriate here.
On the inside, the e-tron is very similar to the classic R8, except that instead of a tachometer, it has an indicator of energy consumption or available power and regeneration.
In the electronic throne R8 it is also possible to adjust the aggressiveness of the regeneration system. The difference between the individual regeneration settings is obvious, and the deceleration of the exhaust gases in the classic car is closest to the average. Audi is announcing that the first production electronic R8 thrones will hit the road at the end of 2012 in a limited edition.
Video R8 e-tron
A1 e tron
Less is organic. Audi e electron A1, an electric city car with a gasoline engine for increased range. The concept is clear and simple: an electric vehicle with an optional gasoline engine that generates electricity when the batteries are low.
They are T-shaped, housed in the rear of the center tunnel and under the rear seats, of course, lithium-ion and (due to higher and longer loads than in a hybrid) water-cooled. They can store 12 kilowatt-hours of energy at 270 volts and can be charged (via a plug hidden in the Audi bonnet circuits) from either 220 or 380 volts, the latter requiring just one hour to fully charge. (At 220 V and three).
Of course, the A1 e-tron can regenerate energy when the speed is reduced, and how aggressively it does so can be adjusted with a five-speed switch on the steering wheel. At the most aggressive setting, the system on average regenerates up to a third of energy.
But when the batteries get too low, it goes into action single disc rotary engine a total of 254 cubic centimeters. It operates at a constant speed of 5.000 rpm, where its efficiency is best, and is powered by a 15 kilowatt generator.
The entire kit, including the generator, weighs just 65 kilograms and the average fuel consumption in mixed mode is 1 liter. You will notice that it works when the radio is on, maximum by the Range label on the sensors; namely, it is quiet enough that it is almost invisible.
When the A1 e-tron is powered by an electric motor only, it gas mileage of course zero... At the time, the A1 was driven only by a synchronous electric motor with a maximum constant power of 61 "horsepower" and a maximum power of 102 "horsepower". The maximum torque is 240 Nm, all this is enough for a ten-second acceleration to 100 kilometers per hour. Of course, the A1 e-tron does not need a gearbox. ...
And when the batteries are completely depleted, the A1 is still mobile. The gasoline engine is powered by a generator, which in turn drives an electric motor. Thus, the maximum speed at the level will be about 130 kilometers per hour.
Serial? Also. When? Probably behind the R8 electronic throne and ahead of the announced plug-in hybrid that will hit the road in 2014 (possibly in the back of the new A2012 3 year of release, but possibly in A4).
Video A1 e-tron
Q5 Hybrid Quattro
The Q5 Hybrid Quattro will be the first to hit dealerships. You will be able to drive it next year (more often in the fall or at the end of the year) and you can count on it to consume at least 10 percent less fuel than the classic Q5 2.0 TFSI S tronic Quattro.
On a test track with a length of about 20 kilometers, which also included city traffic jams, the on-board computer showed 8 liters per 4 kilometers.
The Q5 Hybrid is a parallel hybrid, so it can be powered by a gasoline engine only, an electric motor only, or both. Classic, in fact, with energy regeneration when reducing speed.
He is hiding under the hood latest generation XNUMX-liter turbocharged petrol engine with a capacity of 155 kilowatts or 211 "horses". The TFSI badge, of course, also stands for direct injection.
The eight-speed automatic transmission lacks a torque converter, it is replaced by an electric motor and a set of oil bath clutches that provide a quick but continuous connection between the electric motor next to the gearbox and the gasoline engine.
The electric motor can 45 'horses'the total power of the system is 245 “horsepower”, and the maximum torque is 480 Nm. However, the standard consumption is only seven liters per hundred kilometers.
Maximum power is only available for a short time and only when the gear lever is in the S position, otherwise the batteries would be drained too quickly. Thirty eight kilograms lithium ion battery It is located under the trunk (despite all-wheel drive) and consists of 72 cells that can store 1 kilowatt-hour of energy (at 3 V).
They are cooled by a classic fan, but if they overheat, they can also be cooled by the car's air conditioner.
On electricity alone, the Q5 Hybrid Quattro can travel about three kilometers - at a constant speed of 60 kilometers per hour, and you can accelerate to 100 kilometers per hour. A short test showed that this distance when driving in the city is almost half as short, but still long enough that you do not have to drive "gasoline" in the city centers.
The combined gauge shows how much power the vehicle is currently using and how environmentally friendly it is. It replaced the tachometer, to which a battery charge status indicator was added. Several other technical details had to be adapted to hybrid technology: the air conditioning compressor was powered by electricity, and an electric heater was added to heat the passenger compartment faster.
With this trio, Audi proves that, in addition to the classics, they can already offer alternatives on the road at the moment, and even more so in the coming years - from one that is standard today to one that probably represents the future of the car.
Video Q5 Hybrid Quattro
Dusan Lukic, photo: Tovarna
