The Audi E-Tron GT Concept
The all-electric sedan.
Originally shown at the LA Auto Show this past November, the new Audi E-Tron concept is the brand’s swing at the primed-to-explode electric sedan segment. In a space largely dominated by Tesla, several brands have announced plans for a variety of electrified options, including Porsche with their upcoming Taycan electric sports sedan.
As Audi is part of the same automotive family as Porsche, the new E-Tron GT concept uses the same platform and battery system as the Taycan, meaning a pair of electric motors (one for the front wheels and one for the rear) powered by a 90 kWh battery. Likewise, the E-Tron GT will also have the Taycan’s next-gen 800-volt charging, meaning the battery can be recharged from 0–80 per cent in as little as 20 minutes.
The resulting performance and range figures are impressive but not exactly groundbreaking, with a range of around 400 km and a 0–100 km/h run in as little as 3.5 seconds, thanks to the 590 horsepower generated by those two electric motors. With a claimed top speed of 240 km/h, that very quick acceleration time can be credited to both the instant torque of the electric motors and the excellent grip provided by Audi’s full-time all-wheel-drive layout.
With a powerful stance and a not-too-futuristic take on Audi’s current (and very well received) design language, the E-Tron GT is a long sedan sculpted to have the visual balance of a coupe. With massive 22-inch wheels and low roofline, the E-Tron GT carries on in the footsteps of sporty and modern Audis like the R8, the RS5, and even the sharply edged TT.
Following 2019 production of the E-Tron SUV and E-Tron Sportback, the E-Tron GT is slated for mass production starting in 2020. While concepts and planned-production cars like the E-Tron GT concept look awesome now, it’s something of a waiting game to see what brand makes it to market first and how well the concept plan is translated into a real vehicle.
While proven, the market for electric cars is almost entirely open to competition, so the next three to five years will see a huge shift from all auto manufacturers towards further production of electric models. From a concept level, the Audi may be the best looking of the lot so far, with strong lines, wide fenders, and that sloping roofline. The rear three-quarter view looks athletic and fresh to the brand while the front fascia borrows admirably from a host of current-day Audi models. Finally, look closely at the profile, which blends the R8 with elements of the A7 line in a manner both nicely proportioned and well-executed.
Offering a bold and handsome expression of Audi’s family design language wrapped around a cutting-edge electric platform, the E-Tron GT looks like the stylish and quick charging all-wheel-drive sports sedan that Audi needs to make a play at the quickly expanding world of the mass market electric vehicle.
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