Audi e-Tron Electric Sports Car

January 26, 2012

The Audi e-Tron electric sports car is a brand new concept car from Audi that was unveiled at the 2009 Frankfurt auto show. Although the German automaker has been bearish about battery electric technology and fuel cell innovations in the past, the lithium-ion battery gives the e-Tron a purported 150 mile range on each charge. Some car industry analysts see the e-Tron as an eventual competitor to the (already in production) Tesla roadster.

In terms of styling, the e-Tron borrows the body of Audi's R8, albeit with a few of the A5's flourishes thrown in. Using four separate electric motors, the e-tron boasts 313 horsepower and the ability to go 0 to 62 mph in only 4.8 seconds. With an estimated 3,319 pounds-feet of torque, this is one powerful vehicle.

Besides it's impressive technical specifications, the e-Tron also boasts a number of additional features, including a a scroll-pad Multi-Media Interface controller, headlights that adjust to weather conditions, and a prototype of a system (car-to-x) that will allow the vehicle to wirelessly with traffic signals and other road infrastructure.

The top speed of the e-Tron is around 124 miles per hour and the battery pack will take an estimated 6-8 hours to fully recharge. While the e-Tron is still currently in the "Concept Car" stage, there are rumors that a small build will be available sometime in 2012.

Specifications