Audi details e-tron driving range, charging times

AUDI has confirmed that the production version of its pure-electric e-tron SUV will offer more than 400 kilometres of driving range when it launches later this year and becomes the first mass-production model capable of being charged with up to 150kW of power.

Revealed in prototype form at the Geneva motor show in March, the e-tron will be capable of a full charge in less than 30 minutes thanks to high-power DC charging stations that use the European-standard Combined Charging System (CCS).

Comparatively, Tesla’s Model X can be fully charged in as little as 85 minutes when using one of its Supercharger 480V DC charging stations, while an 80 per cent charge takes 30 minutes.

The network of nearly 200 CCS stations with six charging points each is set to be available in Europe by the end of this year.

Plans are already underway for this network to expand to 400 locations at intervals of 120km along highways and main transport routes by 2020.

According to the German car-maker, the “sophisticated” thermal management system for the e-tron’s 95kWh lithium-ion battery pack is predominantly responsible for its quick DC charging times.

As mentioned, the e-tron will provide 400km of driving range, which, while less than the e-tron quattro concept’s claimed 500km effort, has been assessed using the stricter WLTP testing standard.

Alternatively, the e-tron will also be capable of being charged using conventional AC charging stations, with Audi to bundle in support for up to 11kW as standard, while 22kW is set to be optional.

These same limits apply to domestic set-ups, which, if requested, will be assessed on a case-by-case basis by an electrician to ensure the best possible charging technology is installed, as recommended by a local Audi dealership.

The standard mobile charging system will provide up to 2.3kW when connected to a 230V domestic outlet. However, it is set to support up to 11kW when plugged into a 400V three-phase power point.

If connected to the latter, the e-tron’s battery will be capable of being fully charged in around 8.5 hours – the equivalent of an overnight charge for most motorists.

The optional connect charging system doubles power to 22kW but requires the e-tron to be fitted with a second charger.

This extra cost set-up will feature intelligent charging functions, including maximising outputs for the e-tron and home energy management system, ensuring that the latter is not overloaded.

Customers will be able to charge their e-trons when electricity is less expensive, among other features.

More than 65,000 public charging stations are currently available in Europe, with Audi customers set to be able to access about 80 per cent of this total using a single card from a proprietary service.

However, this will change when Plug and Charge debuts next year, which is set to do away with the physical card in favour of a wireless experience where the vehicle authorises itself and unlocks the charging station.

The e-tron’s satellite navigation system will be able to intelligently plan routes for longer journeys, taking into account traffic conditions and charge levels while plotting out which charging stations will need to be visited, including the time spent there.

Customers can connect to their e-trons via the myAudi smartphone application, which allows them to plan, control and monitor the charging and pre-heating or -cooling of their vehicles.

As previously reported, Audi has deployed nearly 250 e-tron prototypes across four continents to conduct real-world testing in climates ranging from -20 degrees to 50 degrees Celsius.

After this evaluation process is complete, the brand predicts that the e-tron prototypes will have covered more than five-million kilometres, or about 85,000 hours of driving.

In line with its environmentally friendly intentions, the e-tron will be built at a carbon-neutral manufacturing plant in Brussels, Belgium.

The e-tron will hit Australian showrooms in 2019 and be the company’s first fully electric offering Down Under.