Photo: CarPix
Electric vehicles used to look like a distant dream a decade ago. But as we're staring at the e-tron quattro, an electric Audi SUV, on the Nurburgring track, it's all becoming very real.
After being spotted on the roads around the famous track, the prototype for the first production Audi to run only on electricity has done one lap of the famous track. And no, the R8 e-tron doesn't count as a production car.
The e-tron quattro is one of at least three EVs Audi has planned to launch by the end of the decade. It will enter production in 2018 and will be followed by a "Sportback" coupe-like version a year later. Rumor has it that a Tesla Model 3 sedan rival will be the third.
In recent months, the entire Volkswagen Group has gone EV-crazy. Volkswagen has confirmed a bus and hatchback, while Skoda and SEAT have changed their minds about what their customers want. Still, Audi is clearly ahead of the pack.
You might have noticed already that the e-tron SUV looks different to the concept that was supposed to preview it in 2015. That's because there's a new Audi head of design, and he likes straight lines and hexagons.
That said, we're not blown away by what we see. This isn't the Infinity Edge of the automotive world - not a revolution of the way we use cars. Despite what the rumors said, the e-tron has regular door mirrors, not cameras.
That would be fine if Audi were the first to launch such a car. But Jaguar will beat them to the punch with the more stylish I-Pace. One area where the Germans still hold an advantage, even over Tesla, is technology and build quality. We're confident that the electric crossover will have the coolest screens and most processing power packed into its infotainment.
So what's the point of the Nurburgring lap? Well, in theory, only reliability testing. But why only one? Perhaps the 20.8-kilometer track burns a lot more of the battery, or they're just taking things easy.
The e-tron quattro is one of at least three EVs Audi has planned to launch by the end of the decade. It will enter production in 2018 and will be followed by a "Sportback" coupe-like version a year later. Rumor has it that a Tesla Model 3 sedan rival will be the third.
In recent months, the entire Volkswagen Group has gone EV-crazy. Volkswagen has confirmed a bus and hatchback, while Skoda and SEAT have changed their minds about what their customers want. Still, Audi is clearly ahead of the pack.
You might have noticed already that the e-tron SUV looks different to the concept that was supposed to preview it in 2015. That's because there's a new Audi head of design, and he likes straight lines and hexagons.
That said, we're not blown away by what we see. This isn't the Infinity Edge of the automotive world - not a revolution of the way we use cars. Despite what the rumors said, the e-tron has regular door mirrors, not cameras.
That would be fine if Audi were the first to launch such a car. But Jaguar will beat them to the punch with the more stylish I-Pace. One area where the Germans still hold an advantage, even over Tesla, is technology and build quality. We're confident that the electric crossover will have the coolest screens and most processing power packed into its infotainment.
So what's the point of the Nurburgring lap? Well, in theory, only reliability testing. But why only one? Perhaps the 20.8-kilometer track burns a lot more of the battery, or they're just taking things easy.
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