Centre stage Shanghai

Hot on the heels of the exciting new Audi Q8 Sport concept unveiled in Geneva last month, Audi has pulled the dust covers off a new concept study, the Audi e-tron Sportback concept. With a range of more than 500km, power of 320kW on tap from its electric drive and staying that is both futuristic yet true to the Audi design language, the Audi e-tron Sportback concept has made a big impression at the Shanghai Auto Salon.

Speaking at the vehicle’s international debut, Rupert Stadler, Chairman of the Board of AUDI AG said of the stunning concept vehicle:

“Our Audi 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 500 kilometres 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 Audi e-tron Sportback – an emotional coupé version that is thrillingly identifiable as an electric car at the very first glance.” 

Although at a glance a stunning vision of the future, the e-tron Sportback concept represents practical elements that are ready to go into series production and become of everyday mobility. 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 on the front axle and two on the rear power all four wheels, transforming the high-performance coupé into a quattro in typical Audi style. 

The 320kW of power can be increased to reach 370kW in the boost mode to produce a sprint from 0 to 100km/h of just 4.5 seconds, while the battery’s energy content of 95 kilowatt-hours gives a range of more than 500km.

Dr. Dietmar Voggenreiter, Member of the Board of Management for Marketing and Sales at AUDI AG, understands the special significance of electric mobility for the market in China: “We have made a conscious decision to give the Audi e-tron Sportback its first showing here in Shanghai, because China is the world’s leading market for electric automobiles. That applies as much to the infrastructure and financial support as it does to sales. There are already about 150,000 charging stations in the country, with another 100,000 due to come on stream by the end of 2017. We are well equipped for this rapid growth. In the next five years we will be offering five e-tron models in China, including purely battery-powered vehicles with ranges well in excess of 500 kilometres such as the Audi e-tron Sportback.” 

The styling is unmistakably Audi, and yet reflects not only the evolving design language but practical considerations. Given that the e-tron Sportback concept is purely electric, there is no need for the large radiator opening any longer, hence the familiar Singframe grille remains, but is no longer a large opening to allow the airflow required by an internal combustion engine. 

A glance at the flank of the Audi e-tron Sportback concept immediately reveals its common ground with two of the brand’s other four-door coupés. The roof line drops down steeply to the rear. The lower edge of the rear side window curves up gently, terminating in an acute angle at the flat C-post – both elements reference the Audi A5 and Audi A7 Sportback. The stretched cabin blends with the car’s SUV-pedigree lower section and the large wheels to create an unmistakable presence. Rising to the rear like a wing, the sill features a sharp hem that helps to contour the lower edges of the large doors. 

Small cameras replace the 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. The camera images are shown on separate displays in the doors. Audi is showing this technology as a concrete foretaste of the production version. 

Lighting too is integral to the e-tron Sportback concept, serving both practical and aesthetic roles. A combination of LEDs and a micromirror-studded surface are featured on the front end, working with complex control technology, they make a huge number of animated movements and signatures are possible. When the e-tron Sportback starts and also when the doors are opened, the system uses switchable segments to generate dynamic visual welcome signals. The famous four rings are illuminated and appear to float on the dark background while on the rear they are illuminated and act as a third brake light. 

Another highlight is the two projection modules – by the name of Digital Matrix Light (DML) – which are integrated into the car’s front end below the LED fields. These light units, ultra-high resolution laser projectors each with more than 1.3 million pixels, serve as the driving lights and high beams. Oncoming road users can be precisely masked out of the light cone and are not dazzled. 

Inside the Audi e-tron Sportback concept draws systematically on the package advantages of a car with battery-electric drive. The energy storage units vanish entirely under the floor, and the electric motors occupy far less space than a combustion engine with all its auxiliaries and voluminous gas tank. Separate electric motors on the front and rear axles means there is no need for a propeller shaft. As a result, the center tunnel console can be positioned independently of any substructure and now appears to hover between the driver and front-passenger seat. This design gives emphasis to the air of light-filled spaciousness, and the apertures in the slender supporting elements can be used as extra storage options. 

The entire interior is focused on the driving area and controls. The large black-panel display surfaces behind the steering wheel and on the center console appear black when inactive, and turn live together with their display elements as soon as the car is started – a design that is reminiscent of the minimalist screen-based cockpits of modern commercial aircraft. 

Infotainment and driver assist systems abound, displayed on multiple display screens conveniently positioned with the driver in mind. This all seems so ‘future tech’ and yet what makes the e-tron Sportback concept so enthralling is that it is a reality and points at the future of mobility – not 10 or 20 years down the track, but a production reality in a matter of years.