The Audi e-tron looks like a battery electric version of the R8, but it's actually smaller than its high-performance sibling. Expect a limited edition to be offered in two or three years.
When a fashion model struts down a runway in Paris, wearing some god-awful getup that you couldn't imagine anyone being caught dead in, it's hard to understand the point of couture or the mindset of the elite fashionista. No one — well, at least no one sane — in the real world is ever going to wear an overly revealing dress with something that looks like an elaborate birdcage on her head. But those chic designs — their colors, shapes and materials — do influence the clothing that becomes de rigueur.
The same thing holds true for automobiles. The coolest, sleekest, high-performance vehicle designs (and especially the latest propulsion technologies) often seem to appear first in the fashion-forward supercar segment. While most of these rides are priced in the stratosphere, out of the reach of regular Joes like you and me, they do serve a purpose other than making us envious of the rich and shameless who pilot them. They influence the design and technology that go into affordable production cars, trucks and sport-utility vehicles. Plus, they help offset the cost of an automaker's research and development, letting the well-heeled pay for it, instead of passing it along to the car buyer trying to make ends meet.
Read: Electric Cars: Are We Ready or Not?
As green has become the new black in the auto market, electrified propulsion has become the latest pursuit in the supercar segment. We examine why and identify the most notable developments in the electrification of the supercar, in the hopes of providing you with a better view of a more eco-conscious future that doesn't involve sacrificing performance for the sake of fewer noxious emissions.
Is a Green Supercar Ridiculous?
"Electrification can co-exist with traditional powertrains in the high-performance arena," says Rob Moran, manager of product and technology public relations for Mercedes-Benz USA. He's right. Battery-powered cars can be tuned to move like a bat out of hell. It just depends on how much energy you are willing to sacrifice for the sake of speed; the faster an electric car moves, the faster its batteries will drain, severely limiting the vehicle's range.
Do performance-oriented people who buy these cars really care about making their macho machines eco-friendly? More than any other type of car, supercars make a personal statement about who you are, what's important to you, and how much money you have. They don't scream "friend to the environment." Well, Moran says that is changing: "[Electrification] is an advancement of the species. Today's supercar enthusiast wants their chocolate cake and they want it with no calories." And they are willing to pay for it.
While there is a concern about the environment among those who drive these cars, there is another reason automakers are experimenting with electricity: The supercar must go green because high-power politicos who are championing the reduction of carbon-dioxide emissions worldwide are backing up their posturing with stringent regulations.
For instance, European regulators are set to enforce a standard that requires corporate fleets to cut CO2 emissions to 130 grams per kilometer by 2015. The recently announced Ferrari 458 Italia is the cleanest supercar, with emissions of 307 grams per kilometer. That's not even close. Supercar makers obviously have a long way to go. These regulations are going to push them to go green, whether they want to or not.
While electrification isn't the only solution, it seems to be the most popular.
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What Are the Challenges?
There are still a few major obstacles hindering you from heading down to your local showroom, plunking down $100,000 or more and driving away in an electrified supercar. And they are the same issues — well, mostly — facing mainstream hybrid or plug-in manufacturers. Probably the most significant is battery development.
Creating a suitable battery is proving harder than expected, yet automakers haven't given up hope. "We believe there is going to be an acceleration curve [in battery technology], given the attention, given the amount of investment in that field," says Filip Brabec, general manager of product planning for Audi of America. "None of us really know how quick that curve will be, however."
Range is another concern. How far battery-powered supercars can go on a charge varies considerably. Audi says that its e-tron concept will be able to go 154 miles on a single charge. Brabec says that a range of at least 150 miles is necessary to even get customers interested.
The e-tron looks like a cross between an Audi R8 and an electric razor. The one-off concept EV is fueled by a lithium-ion battery pack mounted in front of the rear axle and is propelled by four electric motors, one powering each wheel to deliver all-wheel drive. Audi says total output is 313 horsepower and 3,319 lb-ft of torque. No, that number isn't a typo. Electric motors produce gobs of torque, which means they have an enormous amount of get up and go from a standstill. The e-tron will supposedly gallop to 60 mph in 4.8 seconds, only about 0.8 seconds slower than the company's R8 4.2 with its gas-powered V8 engine.
Probably the most significant hurdle for the supercar is weight. The batteries, electric motors and electronic control systems needed to make these cars go are heavy. The e-tron's electric propulsion system weighs a whopping 1,040 pounds. And weight is the enemy of high performance. Typically, the lighter the car the faster it will go, and the better it will handle.
Discuss: Does the idea of an electrified supercar appeal to you?
Audi has combated that issue in the e-tron through the use of an aluminum spaceframe and a body made largely of carbon fiber. The lightweight materials offset the weight added by the battery, electric motors and electronic control systems that the e-tron must be equipped with to run properly.
