It’s the middle of the night in the San Joaquin Valley in California. More than 100 miles (160 kilometres) from the ocean, a perfect barrel wave is being produced in 600m long pool, filled with 56,000,000 litres of water. Ready to ride this impossibly perfect wave are three of the finest surfers on the planet, and this coming together of technology and talent will be captured in a film by acclaimed Australian director, Daniel Askill.

Welcome to the making of Electric Wave, an extraordinary collaboration between pro surfers, Stephanie Gilmore, Coco Ho and Leah Dawson, Director Daniel Askill and Audi. The venue is Kelly Slater’s Surf Ranch in Lemoore, California, and the film represents a completely new capturing surfing action. 

For those brought up on epic surfing films and documentaries, this is completely next level – capturing the natural beauty of surfing and the purity of that idyllic perfect wave, but in a way never before imagined.

Indeed it is a project that in many ways defies description. Stunning cinematography meets outstanding sporting talents in a unique, technically advanced location. The simple, enduring sport of surfing is captured in a completely different way for Electric Wave, as these three giants of international surfing, surf a perfect wave, generated using renewable energy, in something like a choreographed dance on the water.

For Audi, the synergies of Electric Wave made perfect sense. A brand with a reputation for challenging convention and with a clear aim of introducing all-electric vehicles across its model range in the immediate future. Indeed, Audi will offer 30 electrified vehicles around the world by 2025, and as a global company, has set the target of net-zero emissions by 2050.

As the official transportation partner of The Surf Ranch, travelling to the venue in Audi e-trons – the brand’s first all-electric vehicles – was a given. Just putting the shoot together was a fascinating exercise in logistics and artistic talent – both behind and in front of the cameras. Indeed, the making of Electric Wave is almost as captivating as the finished project itself.

Learn more about the ground-breaking Electric Wave.