2018 launch Audi E-tron BESUV. Official thread?

[GRA]

IEVS:

Audi E-Tron Electric SUV Charges At Sustained 150-kW Rate

https://insideevs.com/audi-e-tron-charges-at-sustained-150-kw-rate/

Audi e-tron proves its 150 kW charging capability at a 175 kW charger
When Audi announced the e-tron, it promised charging capability of 150 kW (0-80% in around half hour), which is reasonable with its 95 kWh battery pack.

A recent presentation of the charging results recorded for a pre-production e-tron at a Fastned fast charging station proves that 150 kW is totally achievable. . . .

At the 175 kW charger, e-tron’s charging power depends on the state of charge (of course also on other factors like battery temperature). Starting below 30% SOC, charging power was at about 140 kW or so. Power was steadily increasing to 150 kW around 55% SOC and to maybe even 155 kW peak around 70%. Then the power drops a little bit and continues around 150 kW to nearly 80%. In other words, we can assume that the average from 30 to almost 80% is around 150 kW.

Before 80% SOC, charging power drops quickly to less than 110 kW at 82-83% SOC and then continues to decrease at a linear pace to 50 kW almost to full 100% SOC.

Overall, e-tron demonstrates great charging performance – one of the best that we have seen so far in a production car (pre-production, but it shouldn’t be much different in a production version). With 150 kW, the Audi e-tron is ready for the long-distance travel and with optional three-phase 22 kW on-board charger, it’s outstanding also for home/work/destination charging too. . . .

 

[arnis]

And here we have first reviews:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xd9IGis-r7M

 

[cwerdna]

Hope this isn't a repost. It appeared in my FB feed today.

https://www.autoblog.com/2019/01/01/audi-e-tron-how-its-made-video/ - video is from Dec 23, 2018. Autoblog post is from 1/1/19. It's 41.5 minutes long and I haven't watched it yet. Not sure if it's worth watching given that I have no plans to ever buy or lease one of these.

 

[KeiJidosha]

Dealerships had e-trons last week for sales training. Reservation holders were invited and able to test-sit the vehicle and operate the infotainment, doors, seats, etc. US finished euro cars could not be driven except by Audi employees. Training reps from Audi were very knowledgeable and provided excellent demo guidance. Reservations will lock down on March 8th and go to production.

"As of March 08, 2019, your e-tron® configuration will be locked. You are not required to do anything else at this time. If you wish to view or make changes to your selections, simply log in to your myAudi account and locate the configurator. "

The promotion cycle has commenced, hence the facebook advert.

 

[GRA]

IEVS:

Audi E-Tron Gets Lower Than Expected 204-Mile EPA Range Rating

https://insideevs.com/audi-e-tron-electric-range-epa/

. . . Audi said Thursday the e-tron will have an estimated 204-mile range for the U.S. market. That pales with the Jaguar I-Pace‘s 234-mile range estimate and the Tesla Model X‘s 295-mile figure on the most-efficient 100D model. It even comes up short against the Chevrolet Bolt and Hyundai Kona, just to name a few. Not a great look for an EV with a 95-kW battery and a $75,000 base price. But Audi says that burying the bigger picture of the e-tron, which should be charge time and real-world range.

The automaker said in its press release that the e-tron uses 88 percent of its 95-kWh capacity for, “battery longevity, repeatable performance and peak charging power for longer amounts of time during the charge cycle.” And Audi claims with a 150-kWh charger, the e-tron can add 54 miles of range in 10 minutes, or 163 miles in 30. . . .

So while the e-tron may not have the most spectacular numbers from the EPA – even the California Air Resources Board got 277 miles out of one – Audi hopes its talk about real-world driving and quick charge times will satisfy the rational side of buyers, who can then get excited about the Amazon Alexa integration, towing capacity and that it isn’t just another Tesla.

 

[SageBrush]

Not to all the wanna-be 'Tesla Killers': It is HARD to build an efficient EV.
And as for raving about 54 miles of charge in 10 minutes -- Audi better hope that is a mistake. Tesla is approaching 13 miles per minute at peak with the Model 3 LR

 

[GRA]

Different priorities. It's HARD to build an EV that combines max. efficiency with max. utility and pax/cargo volume - Tesla certainly hasn't done so. All design involves compromise. The e-Tron's profile obviously provides more usable interior space than a Model X. While the range is a bit short, for trips that require repeated charging the fact that it has low taper owing to the restricted SoC range should make it easier to use. And I believe the fact that the typical buyer wouldn't have to learn a lot about the effect of high and low SoC range on longevity but just charge the car to full and drive it to near empty like they'd do with an ICE is a good thing for mainstream buyers.

I thought GM was smart to do this with the Gen 1 Volt as well, even though the need to carry around extra unusable capacity lowers the efficiency. If BEV's are to become mainstream, they can't require buyers to learn as much about the car as denizens of sites such as this one typically do. No games of "20 Questions" to see if the vehicle is suitable.

 

[GRA]

GCC:

Norway leads first Audi e-tron sales with 621 units in March

https://www.greencarcongress.com/2019/04/20190410-audi.html

In March, Audi delivered the Audi e-tron battery-electric SUV to the first customers in Europe. Most went to Germany (490) and Norway (621). The Scandinavian country is the electric mobility trailblazer in Europe, with electric vehicles set to account for almost 50 percent of the overall Norwegian market in 2019.

The demand for the Audi e-tron there is correspondingly high: Around a third of the more than 20,000 advance reservations worldwide come from Norway. . . .

 

[GRA]

IEVS:

Audi E-Tron Production Stalls Out, E-Tron Sportback Delayed

https://insideevs.com/audi-e-tron-production-stalls-out/

Battery shortages, electric motors shortages… e-tron Sportback postponed

Worrying news comes from Audi‘s Brussels plant where – according to unofficial sources – production of Audi e-tron is slowing down because of a lithium-ion battery cell shortage.

Audi isn’t receiving enough cells from LG Chem, and, according to the article, a separate issue is that LG is “pushing up prices”, making use of its dominant position (previously we heard that LG Chem isn’t too happy about VW’s plan to set up battery gigafactories with other suppliers).

As a result, the plant is running just 6 hours a day (instead of at least 8), and reportedly soon it will worsen to four days instead of five.

Another roadblock for Audi is a strike at the company plant in Györ in Hungary, which affects supplies of electric motors for the e-tron.

It seems that despite its four-digit sales result in March, Audi will not be able to quickly deliver over 20,000 reserved cars. Waiting times extend now beyond 6 months.

Brussels Times says that the 2019 production forecast was decreased by 10,000 to 45,242, but the number seems strangely too precise.

Audi e-tron Sportback postponed

The second version of the e-tron, the Audi e-tron Sportback, which was expected to be introduced in late 2019, is now reportedly postponed to 2020.

The e-tron Sportback uses the same platform, batteries and motors as the e-tron and will be produced on the same production line. Without having secured supplies of batteries, there is no sense in launching the car. . . .

 

[GRA]

IEVS:

Audi e-tron Sales In U.S. Stable In July At Half Tesla Model X Level

https://insideevs.com/news/363264/audi-e-tron-sales-us-stable-july/

. . . In [July], Audi e-tron sales in the U.S. amounted to 678, which is once again a little lower than in previous months (826 in May and 726 in June), but it's of course too early too know if the e-tron has hit a demand peak.

On the other hand, Audi managed to sell more than half of what Tesla did with the Tesla Model X (1,225 estimated by InsideEVs). . . .

Though sales of the e-tron are indeed below the Model X, the electric SUV from Audi shows more sales promise than the Jaguar I-Pace, which seems stalled out at around 200 units per month in the U.S.

 

[GRA]

GCC:

2019 Audi e-tron SUV is the first BEV to earn 2019 IIHS Top Safety Pick+ rating

https://www.greencarcongress.com/2019/08/20190814-etron.html

 

[WetEV]

I have one.

We have done a trip to Cannon Beach, over 500 miles round trip, plus some side trips. Charged at Lacey both going and coming, as 250+ miles isn't realistic.

Oh, there are things I don't like about the car, starting with the cost, the charging port location and the crazy nav system that tells me where to find the next gas station. Things I love include high seating, comfort, space for the wheelchair, and the etron is about the only EV that would work for us.

 

[PrairieLEAF]

I just saw this e-tron ad on TV and loved it! It squarely and cleverly takes aim at EV criticisms and misconceptions.

"Not for you"

https://youtu.be/OyrnezIxiKA

 

[Astros]

I have one.

We have done a trip to Cannon Beach, over 500 miles round trip, plus some side trips. Charged at Lacey both going and coming, as 250+ miles isn't realistic.

Oh, there are things I don't like about the car, starting with the cost, the charging port location and the crazy nav system that tells me where to find the next gas station. Things I love include high seating, comfort, space for the wheelchair, and the etron is about the only EV that would work for us.

Would you mind elaborating on why you bought the e-tron instead of the Leaf Plus? From what I've seen the e-tron seems better than the Leaf in almost every way (except efficiency..), but it's so much more expensive that we couldn't really consider it when we got our new Leaf. What persuaded you? I'm currently thinking of getting one used in a few years, but I might try to get one earlier if I can find a good lease deal.

 

[WetEV]

Would you mind elaborating on why you bought the e-tron instead of the Leaf Plus? From what I've seen the e-tron seems better than the Leaf in almost every way (except efficiency..), but it's so much more expensive that we couldn't really consider it when we got our new Leaf. What persuaded you? I'm currently thinking of getting one used in a few years, but I might try to get one earlier if I can find a good lease deal.

Easy. I can't fit my knee into the LEAF Plus. Couldn't consider it with my long legs.

Oh, and I made a mistake. Let the wife sit in one, they are very comfy. She was sold.

I'm happy we bought it. Checkbook would like to express another opinion.

 

[Astros]

Easy. I can't fit my knee into the LEAF Plus. Couldn't consider it with my long legs.

Oh, and I made a mistake. Let the wife sit in one, they are very comfy. She was sold.

I'm happy we bought it. Checkbook would like to express another opinion.

I went to look at one in person on Tuesday, and took a test drive. That is a very comfortable car! The efficiency looked pretty bad though: the displayed average was 2.2 *km*/kWh, though I imagine short test drives with people testing out the acceleration have something to do with that. I believe you've mentioned driving over the pass on I-90 and back with range to spare, so I imagine you're regularly getting much better mileage than that?

 

[WetEV]

I went to look at one in person on Tuesday, and took a test drive. That is a very comfortable car! The efficiency looked pretty bad though: the displayed average was 2.2 *km*/kWh, though I imagine short test drives with people testing out the acceleration have something to do with that. I believe you've mentioned driving over the pass on I-90 and back with range to spare, so I imagine you're regularly getting much better mileage than that?

That is impressively low mileage.

I'm getting 2.4 m/kWh (3.9 km/kWh) on the long term average, which I have yet to reset in the car. Slightly more on longer trips, slightly less in town, which is the reverse of the LEAF. I'm puzzling on that difference.

Longest trip with one charging stop was 290 miles. Longest leg was 160 miles.

 

[Astros]

That is impressively low mileage.

I'm getting 2.4 m/kWh (3.9 km/kWh) on the long term average, which I have yet to reset in the car. Slightly more on longer trips, slightly less in town, which is the reverse of the LEAF. I'm puzzling on that difference.

Longest trip with one charging stop was 290 miles. Longest leg was 160 miles.

Interesting, it sounds like the bigger battery and lower efficiency cancel out compared with the Leaf Plus. The charging speed is still much better, though, so it would still be faster on long trips. When I was in the car I tried out the navigation system (which seemed pretty slick, I liked the way you wrote on the lower screen to enter text), and it thought you could do the drive I took last month from Seattle to Ashland in just over 9 hours. So, a bit over an hour faster than the Leaf. If I had extra money, I would be very tempted to get one.

 

[GRA]

I went to look at one in person on Tuesday, and took a test drive. That is a very comfortable car! The efficiency looked pretty bad though: the displayed average was 2.2 *km*/kWh, though I imagine short test drives with people testing out the acceleration have something to do with that. I believe you've mentioned driving over the pass on I-90 and back with range to spare, so I imagine you're regularly getting much better mileage than that?

That is impressively low mileage.

I'm getting 2.4 m/kWh (3.9 km/kWh) on the long term average, which I have yet to reset in the car. Slightly more on longer trips, slightly less in town, which is the reverse of the LEAF. I'm puzzling on that difference.

Longest trip with one charging stop was 290 miles. Longest leg was 160 miles.

I'm guessing it's the weight difference. Around town, a lighter car's going to have a big advantage, using a lot less energy to accelerate. While a heavier car gains more regen AOTBE, that's never 100% efficient. On the road, it's all about drag, with weight being a lot less important.

 

[WetEV]

Interesting, it sounds like the bigger battery and lower efficiency cancel out compared with the Leaf Plus. The charging speed is still much better, though, so it would still be faster on long trips. When I was in the car I tried out the navigation system (which seemed pretty slick, I liked the way you wrote on the lower screen to enter text), and it thought you could do the drive I took last month from Seattle to Ashland in just over 9 hours. So, a bit over an hour faster than the Leaf. If I had extra money, I would be very tempted to get one.

Bigger battery and lower efficiency give somewhat less range than the LEAF Plus. The charging speed at 150kW and higher power (mostly) EA stations is fairly awesome.

The navigation system has some slick parts, but I suggest not using it for planning longer trips. It finds charge stations you can't use, and doesn't correctly identify rate of charging at some (non-EA?) stations. Supposedly there is a big update coming soon.

Something like this trip? Adjust endpoints to suit.

https://abetterrouteplanner.com/?plan_uuid=0698714b-1e33-46ef-89d0-70f7ac67363b