One of the main attractions at Audi's IAA stand in Frankfurt is the new e-Tron Concept, a high-performance sports coupe with a pure-electric drive system that looks like an R8 that shrunk while travelling into the future. The e-Tron utilizes four electric motors, two each at the front and rear axles driving all four wheels, that produce a combined output of 230kW or 313HP along with a mind-blowing 4,500 Nm (3,319 lb-ft) of torque!
That's enough power to accelerated the two-seater coupe from to 100 km/h (62mph) in 4.8 seconds, and from 60 to 120 km/h (37 – 75 mph) in 4.1 seconds. The top speed is limited to 200 km/h (124 mph), as according to Audi, the amount of energy required by the electric motors increases disproportionately to speed. Under normal circumstances, roughly 70 percent of the power goes the rear and 30 percent to the front wheels.
The lithium-ion battery that powers the electric motors has a storage capacity of 42.4 kilowatt hours giving the e-Tron a driving range of approximately 248 kilometers or 154 miles. Located in front of the rear axle, the battery unit weighs in at 470 kilogram (1036 lb) accounting for more than a quarter of the vehicle's total weight which is around 1,600 kg (3527 lb), or about 20kg less than the R8 5.2 FSI V10. According to das Germans, the concept car's weight distribution is 42:58.
The body structure of the e-Tron is based on Audi's Space Frame (ASF) technology while all add-on parts, including the doors, covers, sidewalls and roof are made of a fiber-reinforced plastic.
At 4.26 meters (167.72 in) long, 1.90 meters (74.80 in) wide and 1.23 meters (48.43 in) tall with a wheelbase of 2.60 meters (102.36 in), the e-Tron is more compact in every dimension than the R8 (4,43 meters long).
