Audi 2010 Annual Report Download - page 24

Electric mobility in practice
Fleet test
effi ciency and range of electric cars,
for the batteries with their relatively
high weight are still a heavy burden.
The Audi engineers therefore turned
to another of the company’s core com-
petences for the Audi e-tron: The body
is made of aluminum. With its Audi
Space Frame (ASF) technology, it is an
important reason why the Audi e-tron
tips the scales at just 1,600 kg.
The Audi e-tron provides a glimpse
into Audi’s corporate philosophy of
electric mobility. Extending far beyond
the battery technology and the
replacement of an internal combustion
engine by an electric driveline, the
concept is holistic. The complex
interplay of all components infl uences
the key factors of effi ciency, range
and practicality.
The A1 e-tron, which is designed
as a Mega City Vehicle (MCV) for
metropolitan areas, also demon-
strates this comprehensive approach.
The compact two-door car is one of the
world’s fi rst all-around vehicles
powered purely by electricity to have
four seats and a full-sized trunk. Its
electric motor produces peak power of
75 kW (102 hp), with 45 kW (61 hp)
available in continuous operation.
The Audi A1 e-tron embodies an
intelligent technological concept.
A lithium-ion battery pack provides
the energy for the electric drive. The
driver generally charges the battery
pack from the grid – most conven-
iently, from a home socket. A full
battery charge is enough for a range
of over 50 kilometers. “That is more
than suffi cient for the daily commute
to work,” fi nds Dietrich Engelhart.
In case the driver wants to cover a
longer distance, the A1 is equipped
with a small rotary engine that
recharges the battery if necessary for
a range of roughly 250 kilometers.
At fi rst glance, the compact two-
door car is nearly indistinguishable
from its “normal” sister models.
The interior has been completely
redesigned, however. All of the
A1 e-tron’s auxiliary systems, such
as the air conditioning, the power
steering and the pump for the brake
servo, are electric-powered.
The compact two-door car otherwise
aff ords all the strengths of the Audi A1
model series – a small turning radius,
good sightlines and high agility.
Going with the trend of the future
doesn’t entail the slightest sacrifi ce
for the A1 e-tron, especially since the
interior space and the luggage
compartment capacity match those
of series production models.
The A1 e-tron is already a big little
car. The structure of its Multi Media
Interface (MMI) matches that of the
A8 fl agship. Audi is going new ways
there, as well, under the motto of
electric mobility planning. Because
electric powered cars still cannot
match the range of combustion
engines, Audi is working on infor-
mation concepts that will off er the
driver optimal planning capability.
The imagination knows virtually no
limits when it comes to the future
interaction between driver and vehicle.
Examples include individual
computation of range for each driver,
computation of fuel consumption for
diff erent classes of roads, checking
the battery charge status from outside
the vehicle using a smartphone, for
instance. The connection of the car to
22
“The results of the
project will help us
to further expand
our expertise in
electrifi cation.”
Rupert Stadler, Chairman of
the Board of Management
of AUDI AG.
In order to investigate electric driving In order to investigate electric driving
in practice more closely, Audi will be in practice more closely, Audi will be
joining three project partners – the joining three project partners – the
energy supplier E.ON, the Munich public energy supplier E.ON, the Munich public
utility company SWM and the Technical utility company SWM and the Technical
University of Munich (TU München) – in University of Munich (TU München) – in
launching a fl eet test with the A1 e-tron. launching a fl eet test with the A1 e-tron.
The fi rst vehicles should be hitting the The fi rst vehicles should be hitting the
road in Munich in 2011.road in Munich in 2011.
E.ON and SWM are installing the necessary E.ON and SWM are installing the necessary
infrastructure, E.ON primarily in the infrastructure, E.ON primarily in the
outlying areas and SWM in the Bavarian outlying areas and SWM in the Bavarian
state capital. A total of 200 charging state capital. A total of 200 charging
stations are to be made available. stations are to be made available.
TU München will analyze mobility behavior TU München will analyze mobility behavior
during the term of the project. Audi also during the term of the project. Audi also
hopes to learn more about the behavior, hopes to learn more about the behavior,
but also the expectations of our customers but also the expectations of our customers
regarding their dealings with electric cars regarding their dealings with electric cars
from this fl eet test. How intensively and from this fl eet test. How intensively and
in which situations is the electric car being in which situations is the electric car being
used? What other modes of transportation used? What other modes of transportation
are being used in normal practice? are being used in normal practice?
Given the increasing urbanization world-Given the increasing urbanization world-
wide, there is another question to be wide, there is another question to be
addressed: What does a mobility concept addressed: What does a mobility concept
of the future look like?of the future look like?
Audi the pioneer
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