AUDI e-tron sportback electric concept car unveiled at auto shanghai

AUDI presents its versatile ‘e-tron’ sportback electric concept car at auto shanghai this spring. powered by a 320 kW electric drive, the four-door sportback concept combines classic styling typical of the german-automaker with a host of innovative details: an electrifying architecture, tailored consistently to the technology and the package of the electric drive.

all images © AUDI

the AUDI ‘e-tron’ sportback represents an important milepost for the premium manufacturer along the road to electric mobility. the concept car’s lighting technology is an innovation that is visible by both day and night. featuring digitally controlled matrix LED lights at the front, and rear, they produce a strong light yield. tiny digital matrix projectors literally make their mark on the road ahead, turning light into a versatile, dynamic channel of communication with the surroundings. the brand was the first in the world to adopt full LED headlights, and gave matrix LED technology, laser lighting and oLED technology a significant push towards their breakthrough. the technology study for shanghai now premieres a whole host of complex functions that steer vision and interaction with the surroundings in a new direction.

e-tron light communicates with its surroundings

narrow light strips on both sides beneath the front lid – the daytime running lights – become the eyes on the face of the study. combining LEDs with a micromirror-studded surface plus complex control technology, a large number of animated movements and signatures are possible. when the ‘e‑tron’ sportback starts, and when the doors are opened, the system uses switchable segments to generate dynamic visual welcome signals. below the daytime running lights, to the left and right of the singleframe, are two large-area light fields each comprising an arrangement of around 250 LEDs. they offer a vast array of possibilities for creating engaging graphics, or specific communicative signs, even while on the move. 

emotional and powerful AUDI coupé design

for its drive, the ‘e‑tron’ sportback uses a configuration that will also be adopted in future production AUDI models with all-electric drive: one electric motor mounted on the front axle, and two on the rear power all four wheels, transforming the high-performance coupé into a quattro. 320 kW of power – which can reach 370 kW in the ‘boost’ mode – with the sprint from 0 to 62mph in just 4.5 seconds. with the battery’s energy content of 95 kilowatt-hours, its range is in excess of 310 miles.

torque delivered to all four wheels via three electric motors

the technology study’s liquid-cooled lithium-ion battery is positioned between the axles below the passenger compartment. this installation position provides for a low centre of gravity, and a balanced axle load distribution of 52:48 (front / rear), giving outstanding driving dynamics and driving safety. the battery can be charged by the combined charging system with dual connections for AC and DC.  

low center of gravity with improved handling

small cameras replace the conventional exterior mirrors. this technology offers other advantages besides improved air flow and reduced wind noise. the blind spot of the physical exterior mirror is virtually eliminated, as is the obstruction to the diagonal forward view, while the camera images are shown on separate displays in the doors. the german-automaker is showing this technology as a concrete foretaste of the production version.

in its consciously light-coloured interior, the AUDI ‘e‑tron’ sportback concept offers a blend of functional clarity and reductive controls as a formal principle. expansive touch-sensitive screens below the central display, on the centre console and in the door trims supply information and interact with the on-board systems. horizontal surfaces on the dashboard and the seemingly floating centre console convey a sense of open perspectives for the occupants of the four individual seats.

expansive touch-sensitive screen 

rupert stadler, chairman of the board of management of AUDI AG, comments, ‘our e‑tron will be starting out in 2018 – the first electric car in its competitive field that is fit for everyday use. with a range of over 310 miles and the special electric driving experience, we will make this sporty suv the must-have product of the next decade. following close on its heels, in 2019, comes the production version of the e‑tron sportback – an emotional coupé version that is thrillingly identifiable as an electric car at the very first glance.’