Audi e-tron Sportback Concept [+video]

At the 2017 Shanghai Motor Show, Audi has pulled the wraps off the e-tron Sportback concept that previews the company’s production version of the Audi e-tron Sportback electric car.

The e-tron Sportback concept is Audi’s second electric concept following the introduction of the Audi e-tron quattro concept at the 2015 Frankfurt Motor Show. The production version of the e-tron quattro concept SUV will appear on the market in 2018, while the e-tron Sportback concept car will be followed by its production version in 2019.

The e-tron Sportback concept measures at 4.90 meters long, 1.98 meters wide and 1.53 meters tall with a wheelbase of 2.93 meters. This positions it in the C segment, close to the Audi A7.

Narrow light strips on both sides below the front lid – the daytime running lights – become the eyes on the face of the concept car. Thanks to a combination of LEDs and a micromirror-studded surface plus complex control technology, it creates a large number of animated movements and signatures. When the e-tron Sportback starts and also when the doors are opened, the system uses switchable segments to generate visual welcome signals.

Below the daytime running lights, to the left and right of the Singleframe, there are two large-area light fields each comprising an arrangement of around 250 LEDs. They offer a vast array of possibilities for creating engaging graphics or specific communicative signs to other vehicle while on the move.

Small cameras replace the exterior mirrors. This technology offers other advantages besides improved air flow and reduced wind noise. The blind spot of the physical exterior mirror is virtually eliminated, as is the obstruction to the diagonal forward view. The camera images are shown on touch-screen displays on the doors.

Extended wheel arches, the lack of door handles and the massive 23-inch wheels with a 6-spoke design, complete its overall futuristic look.

The interior of the Audi e-tron Sportback concept features a modern layout with touch-sensitive screens found below the central display and on the center console. Horizontal surfaces on the dashboard and the seemingly floating center console makes the cabin looks more spacious for its occupants.

For its drive, the e-tron Sportback uses a configuration that will also be adopted in future production Audi models with all-electric drive: One electric motor on the front axle and two on the rear power all four wheels. 320 kW of power – which can even reach 370 kW in the boost mode – allows the concept to sprint from 0 to 100 km/h in just 4.5 seconds. With the battery’s energy content of 95 kilowatt-hours, its range is in excess of 500 kilometers (NEDC).

As previously on the e-tron quattro concept, the technology study’s liquid-cooled lithium-ion battery is positioned between the axles below the passenger compartment. This installation position provides for a low center of gravity and a balanced axle load distribution of 52:48 (front/rear). And that gives the sporty SUV outstanding driving dynamics and driving safety compared with other vehicles in the segment. The battery can be charged by the Combined Charging System with dual connections for alternating current (AC) and direct current (DC).

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZGnOOEWjIJE

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lRuWEhwxAc8