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Audi RS Q e-tron Hits 112 mph in First Gravel Test, Getting Ready for Dakar 2022

Audi has completed an eight-day test of its RS Q e-tron prototype for the 2022 Dakar Rally. The German team has brought all three Audi Sport driver and co-driver teams for the gravel test held near the city of Zaragoza in Spain.
Audi RS Q e-tron in Zaragoza, Spain, for gravel test drive before 2022 Dakar 46 photos
Photo: Audi
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The German prototype was put through its paces on gravel and in a feverish temperature environment so that engineers can iron out any issues with the electrified powertrain that is derived from Formula E. Audi has been testing the prototype for some time now, and this test was the first to take place in what the Germans consider to be "realistic conditions." According to weather reports and on-site measurements, the temperature was up to 34 degrees centigrade (93.2 F) in the shade.

Specifically, Audi employs a TFSI engine from the DTM as an energy converter and two motor-generator units from Formula E to power the RS Q e-tron prototype. The gasoline engine does not drive the wheels, as its goal is to charge a new type of high-voltage battery developed by Audi Sport to be recharged while driving. Another MGU, or Motor Generator Unit, is employed for charging purposes along with the TFSI unit.

The first tests were done in Neuburg an der Donau, Germany, where the initial functional checks were carried out. From there, Audi engineers went near the city of Magdeburg in Germany to see how the RS Q e-tron performs on unpaved ground.

During the first testing session done on gravel and in elevated temperatures, Audi's prototype managed to reach a top speed of 112 mph (180 km/h) on the 10.5 mile-long (16,89 km) gravel sections. That may not seem like a lot, but batteries of electric vehicles are put through immense stress in both high-temperature and low-temperature environments, and driving flat out heats them up even further.

The team carried out various heat tests for the battery and its cooling system over 1,000 miles (1,609 km) to detect any weak spots. Since the Dakar rally only offers one shot at winning or even racing it a year, Audi does not want its investment to go to waste. Simply finishing the 2022 Dakar would be an accomplishment, but Audi has higher hopes for its RS Q e-tron prototype.

The Audi Sport driver roster involves Stéphane Peterhansel, an athlete with a record number of Dakar wins, along with co-driver Edouard Boulanger, DTM driver Mattias Ekström and co-driver Emil Bergkvist, along with Carlos Sainz and co-driver Lucas Cruz.

The next test session is set to take place in September and will take the car on the dunes in an undisclosed location. We expect Audi to highlight an even larger photo gallery of its latest prototype in action once those tests are completed.
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About the author: Sebastian Toma
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Sebastian's love for cars began at a young age. Little did he know that a career would emerge from this passion (and that it would not, sadly, involve being a professional racecar driver). In over fourteen years, he got behind the wheel of several hundred vehicles and in the offices of the most important car publications in his homeland.
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