The e-assault continues

It’s already been a big year for Audi and its ongoing road to electrification with the recent unveiling of the Audi e-ton GT quattro and the RS e-tron GT – vehicles set to spearhead the all-electric assault into the future. But the brand is not just concentrating on all-electric vehicles, but introducing more plug-in hybrids across the range in Europe, the most recent of which is the Audi Q5 Sportback TFSI e.

The new Audi Q5 was recently launched in Australia, with the Sportback version set for local release later this year, while in Germany the Q5 Sportback now joins its SUV sibling with plug-in hybrid drive as well as the existing internal combustion engines.

In hybrid drive, the Q5 Sportback TFSI e will be available in two output levels, a 50 TFSI e quattro with 220kW and a more powerful 55 TFSI e quattro version with 270kW. On both models, the lithium-ion battery can store 14.4 kWh of net power which is enough for a fully electric range of up to 61 kilometres according to the WLTP. 

Both the Q5 TFSI e quattro and Q5 Sportback TFSI e quattro use a drivetrain with the same design in both performance levels. Made up of a 2.0 TFSI petrol engine with 195kW of power and 370Nm of torque coupled with an electric motor, the permanently excited synchronous motor (PSM) reaches a peak output of 105kW and a peak torque of 350Nm. 

Together with the separating clutch, it is integrated into the seven-speed S tronic transmission, which transfers the drive torque to a quattro drivetrain with ultra technology. 

The lithium-ion battery is located below the boot floor and is made up of 104 prismatic cells which can store 14.4 kWh (net; 17.9 kWh gross) of energy with a voltage of 381 volts. For optimal temperature control, its cooling circuit is connected to both the coolant circuit for the air conditioning system and the low-temperature circuit that supplies the electric motor and power electronics. The air conditioning system comes as standard with an integrated highly efficient heat pump that bundles the waste heat from the high-voltage components. It can generate a heat output of up to 3kW with 1kW of electric energy, which increases the car’s energy efficiency and provides a more comfortable climate for the occupants. 

Since the two engine line-ups differ in terms of their boost strategy, they have a different system output and system torque. The Q5 Sportback 50 TFSI e quattro with its 220kW and 450Nm, hits 100km/h from standstill in 6.1 seconds, while the 55 TFSI e quattro with its larger output of 270kW and 500Nm takes just 5.3 seconds for the same sprint. Top speed on both versions is electronically limited to 239km/h and on purely battery power, they can achieve up to 61km  in range at speeds of up to 135km/h. These figures are made even more impressive when you consider that fuel consumption for both versions overall is just two litre per 100km.

The driver is able to choose between four operating modes to best suit the type of trip they’re doing and the situation – Hybrid, EV, Hold and Charge. The hybrid mode is activated automatically wth the route guidance in the navigation system but can also be selected manually. In this mode, the battery charge is distributed across the route in order to keep power consumption to a minimum. The system uses online traffic information, distance to the destination, the route profile of the chosen route, precise information about immediate surroundings from the navigation data, such as speed limits, types of roads, uphill and downhill slopes and the latest data from the on-board sensors. If route guidance is active in the MMI navigation system, the predictive operating strategy will try to drive the last urban segment of the route purely on battery to arrive at the destination or charging station with the drive battery nearly empty.

Of course numerous devices are employed to help deliver the most efficient power usage possible. The vehicle’s hydraulic disk brakes are employed only during heavier decelerations, with the electric motor performing all light decelerations up to 0.1 g and generating an output of up to 25kW. The brake recuperation extends up to 0.2 g and can recover up to 80kW of electric power. 

The predictive efficiency assist (PEA) adjusts the behaviour of the coasting recuperation to the situation at hand using predictive route data from the navigation database to monitor the distance to the vehicle ahead using signals from the camera and radar. When the adaptive cruise control (ACC) is active, the PEA supports the driver by braking and accelerating automatically in order to further enhance efficiency and comfort. 

In EV mode, the Q5 Sportback uses only electric power as long as the driver doesn’t push the accelerator past a certain point. In Hold mode battery capacity is held at the current level while in Charge mode, the drive management system increases the amount of energy in the battery with the aid of the internal combustion engine. 

All of the Q5 hybrid models come with a charging system for the home and on a standard household power outlet will take around eight hours to fully charge. They can also be fast charged using an industrial connection which drops the recharge time to around two hours and, equipped with the right plug, they are also able to use public charging stations.

At time of writing, no decision has been made on the introduction of the Audi Q5 or Audi Q5 Sportback TFSI e models to Australia.