Reports suggest Audi has approved production of a new electric saloon to rival the Tesla Model S.
The car, predicted to be called the A9 e-tron, will be a four-wheel-drive four-door electric vehicle (EV) comparable in size to a current A8 and the range topper for the brand’s e-tron range.
Speaking to Autocar magazine, Audi head Ruper Stadler says that the brand will have three EVs in its line-up by 2020 and by 2025 a quarter of the Audi line-up will be EVs.
The A9 will be developed alongside the forthcoming Q6 e-tron SUV, the two sharing much of their technology and built on a platform developed from that of the e-tron quattro concept unveiled at the 2015 Frankfurt Motor Show.
This car has three electric motors, one at the front and two at the rear, powered by a lithium-ion battery pack integrated into the floor, and currently produces 320kW (435hp) boostable to 270kW (503hp) and 800Nm of torque.
Both the Q6 and A9 e-tron models are expected to follow a similar drivetrain format.
Industry reports say that the A9 e-tron will be capable of 131mph and produce a 0-62mph time of 131mph. Its range is said to be up to 500km between charges.
Further technology on the car will include significant advances in autonomous driving capability – increasing to what has been dubbed ‘level 4’. The new A8 due in 2017 is predicted to include level 3 automation that will allow it to control itself at up to 37mph on motorways. Level 4 is said to take the technology off the motorway.
The quattro e-tron concept of 2015 previews Audi’s future electric range-topper.
Keyword: Audi planning electric Tesla Model S rival?