Audi revealed its all-electric e-tron quattro concept at the Frankfurt motor show on Tuesday. The chiseled Q5-looking concept has a range of 310 miles, says Audi, and provides a future look at a planned electric SUV from the company, which should arrive in early 2018.
The e-tron concept uses three electric motors: One motor drives the front wheels and two drive the rears. Total output is 429 hp normally and 496 during small events of boost. Torque, good from zero rpm, is pegged at 590 lb-ft. Top speed is 130 mph while the sprint to 62 mph takes 4.6 seconds. The 95kWh-battery is good for a range of 310 miles while a full charge with a 150kW charger takes about 50 minutes, according to Audi.
The concept gets an adaptive air suspension which can lower the car to reduce drag at speed. All-wheel steering makes the vehicle more maneuverable at low speeds and more stable at high speed, according to Audi. At 50 mph and up the active aerodynamics kick in, directing air around the car as needed. Cameras replace side-view mirrors to keep the wind noise down at higher speeds.
Audi’s organic light-emitting diode Matrix laser headlights make an appearance for the first time, consisting of five lighting elements. Each piece combines an LED with a flat OLED element. The rear lights have nine red OLEDs for the taillight function.
The Audi virtual cockpit also finds a home in the concept. The system debuted in 2014 and features two touchscreen displays to the left and right of the instrument cluster. The right is for navigation while the left is for lights and auto-driving functions. More OLED displays show the climate and other relevant information.
