Audi adds electric drive to its new A1

At this week’s Geneva Motor Show Audi is presenting its new e-tron model with innovative drive technology: the Audi A1 e-tron. This Mega City Vehicle (MCV) an all-electric vehicle is powered by an electric motor and has also an internal combustion engine that can be used to recharge the battery in exceptional circumstances.

The premium class compact electric car, with two doors and with space for four passengers was developed having in mind the daily trips and traffic jams of metropolitan areas of Europe and North America and in the megacities of Asia and South America.

Mounted transversely at the front of the car, the synchronous electric motor of the Audi A1 e-tron has a maximum output of 75kW and torque of 240 Nm. The power produced by the engine is sent to the front wheels through a single-speed transmission.

The engine receives operates with the help of 380 volt lithium-ion battery, with has a nominal energy content of 12 kilowatt hours, which can be fully recharged in approximately three hours from the 380 volt grid.

The Audi A1 e-tron has a total range of 50 kilometres on all-electric drive, with zero emission, but this range can be extended thanks to a 254 cc Wankel engine. The extra range, which is intended primarily for interurban driving, is 200 kilometers.

The new e-tron concept can accelerate from 0 to 100km/h in 10.2 seconds and is able to reach a maximum speed of more than 130km/h.

According to Audi with the two engines working the A1 e-tron has a fuel consumption of 1.9 l/100km, which represents 45 g/km of CO2 emissions. When driving on the electric mode, the concept car produces zero CO2 emissions.