Audi's latest Q7 SUV and R8 sports car are powered by electricity
Audi has gone to this year's Geneva Motor Show with new versions of its Q7 SUV and R8 sports car in tow: electric-powered versions, that is. The new Q7 E-Tron Quattro looks very similar to the regular Q7, but it's actually a plug-in hybrid that has an electric-only range of 34 miles, thanks to its lithium-ion battery. It promises instant high-speed acceleration from 0 to 62 mph in just six seconds, uses a V6 diesel engine, and has a 166 miles per gallon potential, with speeds reaching up to 140 mph. The hybrid SUV has four driving modes: EV mode uses pure electricity, obviously, while hybrid mode automatically switches between electricity and diesel. Battery hold mode stores any electrical energy for later use, while charge mode is used while charging the battery. Audi plans to release it in the UK by the end of this year for a price that's yet to be announced, but it's still unclear if and when it will be released elsewhere.
The R8 E-Tron sports car, on the other hand, is an all-electric version that has a 280-mile range in a single charge, 15 miles more than that of Tesla Model S. It has a permanent all-wheel drive system, can accelerate from 0 to 62.1 mph in 3.2 seconds, and can zip across roads at speeds that reach up to 205.1 mph. It also has a V10 engine, but you can choose between the 540 hp and the 610 hp versions. In fact, the electric R8 sounds like a good choice for people who love custom cars, because it will only be built for a customer by request (starting this year) -- it won't enjoy a wider release. Audi didn't mention a price for this one either, but if a regular, basic gas-powered R8 costs around $183,000, it's safe to say that the hand-made, by-request EV version won't be cheap.
