In an event called ‘e-tron on track’ Tom Kristensen and three of his fellow Audi Sport drivers look at the brand’s electric revolution through the toughest research and development environment there is – motorsport.
2 November, 2023
It’s just 11 years since Audi debuted ‘e-tron’ in a motorsport environment – and what a debut it was. The Audi R18 e-tron quattro used a hybrid electric drive in the world’s toughest endurance race – the 24 Hours of Le Mans – and won on debut. This act elicited stoney silence from critics who mocked the very idea of hybrid drives in motorsport, never mind at Le Mans. And just to make sure that no one could suggest it was a fluke, Audi was back in 2013 and 2014 to win with the R18 e-tron quattro yet again.
So this groundbreaking car was the perfect place to start this new series called simply ‘e-tron on track’ with Mr Le Mans himself, Tom Kristensen, looking back over the illustrious rise of Audi’s e-tron technology.
Audi R18 e-tron quattro (2012)
Audi’s legendary diesel hybrid sports car – the R18 e-tron quattro was the first race car with a hybrid drive to win the famed 24 Hours pf Le Mans. It featured a 3.7-litre TDI engine mid-mounted generating 375kW to the rear wheels, with a 150kW electric drive unit mounted to the front axle.
Audi e-tron FE07 (2020/21)
In 2017, Audi was the first German manufacturer in Formula E. In the 2020/21 Formula E World Championship, depending on the driving mode, the all-electric race car developed up to 250kW, which drove the rear axle.
Audi e-tron Vision Gran Turismo (2018)
Audi used the first ever real-life derivative of a digital car from a computer game as a race cab in Formula E. Two e-machines on the rear axle and one on the front axle produce a purely electric system output of 600kW.
Audi S1 e-tron quattro Hoonitron (2022)
The all-electric prototype was created exclusively for the Hoonigan Elektrikhana stunt drives by legendary drift artist Ken Block. One electric motor each on the front and rear axles enable a system output of 500kW.
Audi RS Q e-tron (2023)
The first rally raid prototype for the FIA’s low-emission T1U category uses an innovative electric drive with energy converter and high-voltage battery. The electric drive of all four wheels is limited to 271kW.
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