The battery-electric vehicle has come a long way in a very short space of time. Once restricted to underpowered city cars, the technology is now being pursued aggressively by many of the world’s most prestigious manufacturers – many of which have taken their lead from Tesla.
Among the more compelling models launched at the high-end luxury car market is the flagship BEV from Audi: e-tron GT. The manufacturer has brought motorists a taste of what they’re familiar with, meaning that you should be comfortable in the driver’s seat of an electric Audi, if you’re remotely familiar with the older ones. The new electric car is manufactured in the same Böllinger Höfe factory as the Audi R8, meaning that you’ll get much of the same motoring pedigree.
What are the features?
You’ll also get some ultra-modern electric features, like ultra-fast charging at 270kw, meaning that this is a car that’s competitive on just about every level. You can expect to get from 0-60 mph in just over four seconds, and the engine produces just over five-hundred brake horsepower. There’s also an adjustable rear spoiler, which can be retracted to suit the circumstances on the road.
You’ll have the option of four different ‘trim levels,’ which provide extra features at a premium. For example, if you go for the ‘Vorsprung’ edition, you’ll have access to vented and massage seats, adaptive cruise control, adaptive air suspension and four-wheel steering. For these features, however, you’re looking at spending well in excess of £100,000.
You can spend a little bit extra to protect your investment with the help of Audi gap insurance. That way, you can be sure that you’re not going to end up in negative equity if your car is written off during the first few months.
How big is the battery?
Audi has included a 93.4kWh battery, of which around 85kWh is usable. There are safeguards in place to prevent the battery from being drained to zero, as this would shorten its lifespan considerably. What this means for the car is a range of just under three hundred miles on a full charge, and slightly less than that for the e-Tron GT RS, which sports a more powerful motor.
It’s difficult to say with certainty how the car you’ll be travelling without knowing the load that you’ll be carrying. If you’re stacking the boot with luggage before you head out on a long family holiday, you might find that the battery doesn’t take you quite as far.
This puts it a little bit short of the Tesla Model S – even though the support for high-speed charging means that you’ll be able to embark on a long trip without fear that you’ll be stranded.
