Los Angeles Auto Show - Audi has become the latest premium car manufacturer to set its sights on Tesla's luxury sedan turf and the e-tron GT concept car that you see here will spawn a production model in late 2020.
Performance is at the sharp end, with Audi predicting a 3.5 second 0-100km/h time thanks to a pair of synchronous electric motors, mounted separately on the front and rear axles and producing a total of 434kW. The quattro all-wheel-drive system, with torque vectoring, is electronically coordinated, so there’s no mechanical link existing between the front and rear axles.
In that space you’ll find the batteries, in a floor-mounted layout that also reduces the centre of gravity. They provide a range of over 400km (WLTP standard) between charges, and can be charged to 80 percent of capacity in around 20 minutes, according to Audi, thanks to the 800-volt charging system.
Much of this car’s technology was developed in conjunction with Porsche, Audi says, meaning that the production model will be a close relative of the upcoming Tacan.
The Audi’s body, measuring 4960mm in length and 1960mm in width, is almost identical in size to the A7’s, and it’s made from a combination of materials, with the roof in carbon fibre and the main body featuring a mix of high-strength steel and aluminium.
The concept’s cabin goes big on horizontal lines and is fully digitised, with drivers able to configure the screens through various layouts, and the central touchscreen provides tactile feedback.
The e-tron GT is one of twelve all-electric vehicles that Audi plans to launch between now and 2025, including the e-tron SUV and e-tron Sportback that are due in 2019.