R8E-tron
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Audi's R8 e-tron electric supercar can now drive itself
Slowly but surely, Audi is getting closer to realizing Will Smith's wildly futuristic motor from I, Robot. At CES Asia, the company has revealed an updated version of its R8 e-tron electric supercar with self-driving capabilities. A bevy of sensors have been rigged up inside, including a laser scanner, video cameras, ultrasonic and radar sensors. All of the environmental data is then fed through Audi's "zFAS" driver assistance system, which ultimately dictates how the concept car behaves on the road. It's not the first time Audi has experimented with autonomous and electric vehicles, but it's still hard to ignore this beautiful combination of the two. If you need a reminder, Audi's R8 e-tron wields two 170 kW electric motors capable of pushing it from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.9 seconds. With a top speed of 250 km/h and a two-hour charging time, it's certainly no Nissan Leaf.
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.
Audi R8 e-tron won't see public sale, will be used for internal evaluation only
It's time to put your dreams of owning Audi's R8 e-tron to bed -- the German automaker won't be shipping the electric car to dealerships, according to a Wired source. The record setting vehicle's sales plans were apparently axed due to driving range concerns and a new focus on plug-in hybrid vehicles. We followed up with a contact of our own, who confirmed that the R8 would be produced only in small numbers, and only for internal use, at that. The R8 may be dead, but its core achievements should appear in future vehicles, we're told -- including its lightweight construction, AMOLED rear-view mirror and battery management system.
Audi R8 e-tron to feature digital AMOLED rear-view mirror
Audi's R18 racing car's been sporting this digital rear-view mirror for some time, and was most recently spotted with it at the renowned LeMans racing competition -- but now the German outfit's bringing the tech to a more consumer-friendly vehicle, the R8 e-tron. The luxurious automobile company announced that gorgeous 7.7-inch reflector is making its way from its speedy R18 to the stunning R8 e-tron, marking the first time any ride outside of the former will come loaded with such feature. In case you weren't aware, the AMOLED rear-view mirror helps automatically reduce headlights glare "during the hours of darkness," while also allowing drivers to dim or turn it off altogether if, you know, they're just not feeling the vibe.
Production R8 e-tron sets lap record at Nürburgring, Audi gains more EV bragging rights
Suffice it to say, Audi's been garnering loads of press these past weeks for its e-tron vehicles. Hot on the heels of its recent, R18 e-tron-led victory at the 24-hour Le Mans, the automaker has set a world-record for production EVs at Germany's Nürburgring. Using an all-electric R8 production model, driver Markus Winkelhock zipped around the 12.92-mile course with a lap time of 8:09.099. For comparison's sake, the fastest lap by a gasoline-powered production car of about seven minutes and 57 12 seconds is currently held by the Gumpert Apollo Sport -- which just-so-happens to use an 700 hp (515 kW) Audi V8 motor. According to Audi, the R8 used is essentially identical to what will be released to the public later this year, featuring two electric motors that pump out 280kW of power and 820Nm of torque. That said, Autoblog notes that its limiter was set to 155 mph (250 kph) -- when you can buy one it'll be set to top out at 125 mph (200 kph). Hit up the press release after the break for all the details. Update: We incorrectly mixed up mph with kph on the max speeds. We've adjusted the numbers.
