Audi released photos and some details of its A5 e-tron Quattro plug-in hybrid prototype, and said the prototype is currently undergoing cold weather testing in Sweden.
Audi A5 e-tron earns its “Quattro” moniker not with a conventional all-wheel-drive system, but with what Audi is calling an “electric rear axle”.
Although Audi did not release a whole deal of details regarding the new A5 e-tron, they did say it’s powered by the 2.0 TFSI engine, developing just over 200 hp, which works together with a 33 kW electric motor. This setup is only for the front axle of the Audi A5 e-tron.
The rear axle of the Audi A5 e-tron is powered by yet another electric motor, this one having an output of 60 kW (81 hp). With this architecture, the Audi A5 e-tron can be called an all-wheel-drive (quattro) hybrid vehicle. The a5 e-tron’s powertrain is completed by a four-speed R-Tronic transmission.
Audi claims overall fuel-economy to be in the 85 + mpg range (2.7 liters/100 km), and that the A5 e-tron Quattro can sprint to 60 mph in 5.9 seconds, on its way to a top speed in excess of 140 mph.
Once fully charged, an electric only driving range of 40 miles is possible at speeds of up to 62 mph (100 km/h).
Audi says the A5 e-tron is able to get up to 104 mpg in the combined cycle, , emitting just 64 g/km of CO2.
Audi engineers have had to make use of carbon fiber and aluminum parts to counteract the weight gain two electric motors to keep the curb weight around the same 1,600 kg (3,527 lbs) mark of the standard 2.0 TFSI A5 Quattro.
The new A5 e-tron continues Audi’s plug-in vehicle line-up that started with the Audi e-tron unveiled at 2009 Frankfurt Show, than the smaller e-tron concept in Detroit last year, the R8 e-tron and the e-tron Spyder, and continued with the A1 e-tron.[wzslider height=”400″ lightbox=”true”]
