We went: Audi e-tron // Purebred Audi
Let's be clear - this is basically a prestige battle between Tesla and other similar premium cars. The smaller ones that are already on the market are, of course, also quite decent, but it seems that so far, apart from the Jaguar I-Pace, no manufacturer has offered a combination of an electric and a real 100% car. The one you're sitting in won't immediately tell you the car is from another planet. I'm not saying the e-tron isn't special, but it's not as special as one might expect: where the human eye can detect it, of course. Even if it differs in design from other Audis, it will be difficult for an uneducated observer to immediately determine that this is an electric car. And even as you sit in it, an interior design awaits you that is unchanged from the latest generation of Audi. Until, of course, you press the start button.
Then there is a little fight. The ears do not hear anything at all, only the eyes see that the screens and ambient lights are on. Namely, all the screens in the electronic throne are already known. It is quite clear that Audi's virtual cockpit is all-digital gauges on which we can choose from a variety of displays, such as full-screen navigation or a small speedometer. In this case, even on the screen, it is not easy to immediately recognize that you are sitting in an electric car. Only the intervention of the gear lever hints that it could be another car. Although recently, instead of a gear lever, car factories have been installing different things - from large round buttons to small protrusions or just keys. In Audi, again, they work differently with the transmission - a large armrest, and then we move the button up or down with just two fingers.
It's only when you shift the gear lever to position D and press the accelerator (or the pedal to control the electric motor) that you understand the difference. No noise, no normal starting, just synchronicity of comfort and convenience. First of all, one thing should be said! The Audi e-tron is by no means the first electric vehicle on the market, but it is certainly the first one so far to drive as closely as possible to what we know from conventional cars. I recently wrote that we can already buy cars with a power reserve of even more than 400 kilometers. But the trip itself is different, the passengers and even the driver himself suffer. Until he masters electric driving down to the smallest detail, of course.
With Audi's electronic throne, things are different. Or it's not necessary. It is enough to press the button and move the gear lever to position D. Then everything is simple and, most importantly, familiar! But it's always a but! Even with the electronic throne. The test car we drove around Abu Dhabi - a city built on oil wells but recently focusing a lot on alternative energy sources (type Masdar City into a search engine and you will be in for an amazing surprise!) - was equipped with a rear - viewing the mirrors of the future. This means that instead of the classic mirrors, the cameras have taken care to show what is happening behind the car from the outside. An interesting solution that primarily increases the range of an electric car by five kilometers, primarily due to better aerodynamics, but at present the human eye has not yet got used to this novelty. Although Audi experts say that you get used to the novelty in a few days, it is difficult for the driver with the novelty. Firstly, the screens in the car door are much lower than those on the outside of the mirror, and secondly, the digital image does not show the real depth, especially when reversing. But don't be afraid - the solution is simple - the buyer can save 1.500 euros and choose classic mirrors instead of cameras!
And the car? The E-tron is 4,9 meters long, which puts it next to the already famous Audi Q7 and Q8. With the batteries stowed in the underbody of the car, the boot remains intact and holds 660 liters of luggage space.
The drive is carried out by two electric motors, which in ideal conditions offer an output of almost 300 kW and a torque of 664 Nm. The latter, of course, is immediately available, and this is the biggest advantage of electric vehicles. Although the e-tron weighs almost 2 tons, it accelerates from 100 to 200 km / h in less than six seconds. Continuous acceleration lasts up to 50, the maximum speed of which is, of course, electronically limited. The already mentioned batteries at the bottom of the case provide an ideal 50:XNUMX center of gravity, which also provides excellent vehicle handling and traction. The latter also goes hand-in-hand with the motors, which of course drive each of their drive axles, providing permanent all-wheel drive. Well, the constant in quotes, because most of the time or when the drive can afford it, only the rear engine is running, and when the need arises to connect the front drive axle, it happens in a split second.
An electric range of 400 kilometers (measured by the new WLTP cycle) is provided by batteries with a capacity of 95 kilowatt-hours. Unfortunately, we weren't able to find out on test drives whether it was really possible to drive the car even 400 kilometers, mainly because we also drove on the highway for quite a long time. They are interesting in the vicinity of Abu Dhabi - almost every two kilometers there is a radar for measuring speed. Already close if you drive a kilometer too fast, and the fine is supposedly quite salty. But be careful, the limit is mostly 120 km/h, and on some roads 140 and even 160 km/h. Of course, this speed is not suitable for saving an electric battery. The mountain road is different. On the ascent, the battery was heavily discharged, but when moving downhill, due to regeneration, it was also heavily charged. But in any case - 400 km, or even less, is still enough for everyday driving. Only longer routes, at least for now, require adjustment or planning, but still - on a fast charger, the electronic throne can be charged with direct current (DC) up to 150 kW, which charges the battery up to 80 percent in less than 30 minutes. Of course, the car can also be charged from the home network, but it takes much more time. To shorten the service life, Audi has also developed a solution in which the Connect system doubles the charging power to 22 kW.
Just as a designer e-tron is more than just a regular car, so is usually (with the exception of the transmission) everything else. This means that the e-tron is equipped with exactly the same safety assistance systems as the latest generation of Audi, which in turn ensures a great feeling inside, while the workmanship and ergonomics are at an enviable level. Or, as I wrote at the beginning, the e-tron is also an Audi. In the full sense of the word!
We have already written about the electronic throne, especially the drivetrain, charging, battery and regeneration in the Avto store, and this is of course also available on our website.
The Slovenian price for Audi's electric novelty is not yet known, but it will cost € 79.900 for the novelty, which will be available in Europe at the beginning of the year, for example in Germany.
