The 2011 victory of the A1 e-tron follows the R8 e-tron’s win last year. The second Audi in the rally, a Q5 HFC with a fuel cell finished in sixth place. A total of 32 electric vehicles were evaluated.

After three days, 307 kilometers and a total altitude difference of 11,541 meters, the A1 e-tron bearing the number 206 was named the winner of the second Silvretta Electric Car Rally Montafon. The event took place from July 7-9 as part of the 14th Silvretta Classic.

The name Silvretta refers to a group of mountains in the eastern Alps of Austria. The Audi A1 e-tron won against 31 competitors in a rally, that was held on highly taxing mountain roads with inclines up to 15 percent, presenting a special challenge to electric vehicles. The Audi Q5 HFC, which was also entered by Audi, achieved sixth place. This was the best final result of all cars with a fuel cell.

The A1 e-tron contains technology that Audi’s development engineers are using to study the mobility requirements for such a future-oriented concept. The technological basis includes an electric motor with a maximum output of 75 kW that is powered by a lithium-ion battery. The battery features a 12 kWh capacity and can be completely charged in 30 minutes (quick charge), or in less than three hours (standard charge). It offers a range of 50 kilometers. To prevent drivers from being stranded by an empty battery, the A1 e-tron also comes equipped with a combustion engine, which can charge the battery as needed. The one-disc rotary engine (254 cc) is located under the trunk floor; it provides 15 kW of output intended solely to charge the battery, rather than to directly power the wheels.

The A1 e-tron is designed with a local emission-free electric drive system, which is ideally suited for driving in a city.

The UQM PowerPhase engine range is a lightweight electric drive motor and controller. This power-dense, brushless, permanent-magnet engine range can be supplied with up to 300 Nm of peak torque and 125 kW of peak power. The controller features CAN bus, serial communications and diagnostic capability.

In addition to a full line of electric propulsion systems, UQM recently completed the validation of its volume production lines with annual capacity of 40,000 units.

The Audi A1 e-tron has a range of more than 50 kilometers (31 miles) in city traffic and a peak power output of 75 kW (102 hp). A compact internal combustion engine recharges the battery when its energy is depleted.

A small, single-rotor Wankel engine in this near-series vehicle increases the range in exceptional circumstances. This “range extender” powers a generator that produces 15 kW of charging power. If the range extender is used to recharge the battery, the A1 e-tron can cover an additional 200 kilometers (124.27 miles) of range. According to a draft standard for the computation of fuel consumption for range extender vehicles, this represents a fuel consumption of 1.9 l/100 km (123.80 mpg) – a CO2 equivalent of only 45 g/km (72.42 g/mile). Top speed is 130 km/h (80.78 mph).

By the middle of next year, 20 Audi A1 e-tron models will hit the road as part of a project made in collaboration with E.ON, the Munich municipal utility company Stadtwerke Munchen (SWM) and the Technical University of Munich (TUM).

The Audi A1 e-tron is a Mega City Vehicle (MCV) with an electric drive. It has a range of more than 50 kilometers in city traffic and a peak power output of 75 kW (102 hp). A compact internal combustion engine recharges the battery when its energy is depleted.

Top speed is 130 km/h (80.78 mph). The compact MCV is a zero-emissions vehicle for the first 50 kilometers (31.07 miles) that it is underway, such as in city traffic. The battery comprises a package of lithium-ion modules mounted in the floor assembly in front of the rear axle.

A small, single-rotor Wankel engine in this near-series vehicle increases the range in exceptional circumstances. This “range extender” powers a generator that produces 15 kW of charging power. If the range extender is used to recharge the battery, the A1 e-tron can cover an additional 200 kilometers (124.27 miles) of range. According to a draft standard for the computation of fuel consumption for range extender vehicles, this represents a fuel consumption of 1.9 l/100 km (123.80 mpg) – a CO2 equivalent of only 45 g/km (72.42 g/mile).

The ‘eflott’ project will address a number of issues from the data transfer between the driver, vehicle and electric charging station to the power grid. It will also include a test of smartphones as the central interface for the driver.

E.ON andSWM will build 200 electric charging stations, which use electricity produced from renewable sources, to keep the fleet powered up.

The TUM is responsible for comprehensive data collection and evaluation of mobility behaviour, including how heavily and in which situation the electric car is being used and what influence the option has on the use of other means of transportation. The TUM’s Department of Vehicle Engineering has developed a mobile application that will be provided on a smartphone to all participants of the fleet trial. The device will document users’ mobility behaviour – from their use of bicycles to the electric cars and from conventional cars to buses and trains.

The TUM’s Department of Marketing is also conducting a study to discover which billing models for the electricity used for e-mobility meet with the greatest acceptance.

At the Geneva auto show last week, Audi unveiled the A1 e-tron, a nearly production-ready concept developed from its new A1 subcompact.

Although it has not yet officially announced production plans, Audi’s Michael Dick has revealed the A1 e-tron is very likely to hit showrooms after an anticipated three-year development phase.

The first e-tron, which debuted at the 2009 IAA in Frankfurt, is a near-series high-performance sports car with electric motors for all four wheels. The study shown at the Detroit Motor Show in 2010 is a lightweight, compact two-seater with two electric motors on the rear axle. At Geneva Motor Show, Audi showed an A1 e-tron.

New rumors are cropping up about a possible successor to the A2. The new A2 would likely be A1-based and use an electric powertrain, possibly sourced from the A1 e-tron concept.

”The strength of the electric car clearly lies in the urban mobility area, where the demand for emission-free local transportation will strongly increase,” said Michael Dick.

[source: Automotive News / Subscription required]

The report comes out of statements by Audi CEO Rupert Stadler made during the Geneva Show.

The first e-tron, which debuted at the 2009 IAA in Frankfurt, is a near-series high-performance sports car with electric motors for all four wheels. The study shown at the Detroit Motor Show in 2010 is a lightweight, compact two-seater with two electric motors on the rear axle. In Geneva Audi showed an A1 e-tron.

The A1 e-tron concept shown last week is an extended range EV (EREV) powered by a Wankel-type engine. It has a 30 mile range on batteries alone, and then can go an extended distance using the Wankel as a generator to charge the batteries.

The A2 is expected by 2014. A decision on a U.S. model has not been made.

The A1 e-tron has a range of more than 31 miles in city traffic, and its peak output of 102PS also makes it fun to drive. A compact internal combustion engine recharges the battery when its energy is depleted.

The powerful front-mounted, transverse electric motor thrusts the A1 e-tron forward with authority. The car sprints from a standstill to 62mph in only 10.2 seconds on its way to a top speed of more than 80mph. The compact MCV is a zero-emissions vehicle for the first 31.07 miles that it is underway, such as in city traffic. The battery comprises a package of lithium-ion modules mounted in the floor assembly in front of the rear axle.
A small, single-rotor Wankel engine is used in this near-series concept vehicle to increase the range in exceptional circumstances. This “range extender” powers a generator that produces 15 kW of charging power. If the range extender is used to recharge the battery, the A1 e-tron can cover an additional 124 miles of range. According to a draft standard for the computation of fuel consumption for range extender vehicles, this represents a fuel consumption of 148.7mpg – a CO2 equivalent of only 45 g/km.

The e-tron model family from Audi is just a few months old, but it already has a number of members, for each of which Audi has chosen a different drive technology. The first e-tron, which debuted at the 2009 IAA in Frankfurt, is a near-series high-performance sports car with electric motors for all four wheels. The study shown at the Detroit Motor Show in 2010 is a lightweight, compact two-seater with two electric motors on the rear axle.

The A1 e-tron now presents another approach – a compact electric car in the premium class. The four-passenger, two-door MCV city car was designed specifically for use in the metropolitan areas of Europe and North America and in the rapidly growing megacities of Asia and South America. The Audi A1 e-tron always drives on electric power; its internal combustion engine is only used to recharge the battery in isolated cases.

The synchronous electric motor of the Audi A1 e-tron is mounted transversely at the front of the car. Its low mounting position has a positive effect on the vehicle’s centre of gravity. Continuous output is rated at 61PS, with peak power of 102PS available in short bursts. 150 Nm (110.63 lb-ft) of torque is continuously available, and peak torque is 240 Nm (177.01 lb-ft).

The electric motor sends its power to the front wheels via a single-speed transmission. The elegant, retractable selector lever on the console of the centre tunnel used to choose between “Drive,” “Reverse,” and “Neutral” was taken from the first Audi e-tron.

The power electronics are mounted in the engine compartment above the electric motor. The most important components are the pulse-controlled inverter, which serves as the controller between the electric motor and the battery; the DC converter, which connects the high-voltage network with the 14 volt electrical system; a breaker unit to protect the high-voltage components; and the charging module. The socket for the standard charging plug is located behind the rings in the single-frame grille of the Audi A1 e-tron. A fully depleted battery can be recharged in approximately three hours from the 380 volt grid. A display immediately adjacent to the plug-in connection shows the current charge status and the charging time remaining.

The battery pack: a compact T arranged below the floor
The energy storage unit is arranged below the floor, where it is ideal for the centre of gravity and weight distribution. The battery pack is shaped like a T, with the short “transverse beam” filling the rear section of the centre tunnel and the “cross-beam” filling that area in front of the rear axle where the fuel tank is otherwise located. The 380 volt lithium-ion rechargeable battery has a nominal energy content of 12 kilowatt hours. It comprises 96 prismatic cells and weighs less than 150 kilograms (330.69 lb).

The Audi A1 e-tron can drive 31 miles emission-free in city traffic on the powerful battery. On longer trips, the battery is recharged by a particularly compact internal combustion engine mounted below the luggage compartment.

The range extender
The A1 e-tron concept car has a Wankel engine as a range extender, but other compact concepts are also possible. The small single-rotor Wankel has a chamber volume of 254 cc and runs at a constant 5,000 rpm in its peak efficiency window. The electronics also consider navigation data such as the destination and route profile to automatically activate the range extender as needed. The driver can also turn the range extender on and off as necessary with the push of a button. The fuel tank holds 12 liters.

The great strengths of the Wankel engine are the nearly vibration-free and quiet operation, the small dimensions, and the extremely low weight. Together with the generator, which is powered by the Wankel engine and produces 15 kW of electric power, the complete assembly weighs only around 70 kilograms. This weight also includes the special power electronics, the intake, exhaust, and cooling unit, plus the insulation and the subframe.

Driving experience
The first defining impression that the driver of the Audi A1 e-tron gets is that of nearly total silence. Even the Wankel engine in the back can barely be heard when it is running.

The second characteristic perception is the power of the electric motor, nearly all of which is available instantly and thrusts the Audi A1 e-tron forward with authority. The innovative Mega City Vehicle, which despite its complex drive technology weighs only 1,190 kilograms delivers zero-emission driving fun in a modern and sophisticated manner. The vehicle accelerates from 0 to 62mph in 10.2 seconds and has a top speed of more than 80mph.

The Audi A1 e-tron can also cover longer distances if the range extender charges the battery. The extra range, which is intended primarily for interurban driving, is 124 miles.

According to the draft standard, the two different operating modes yield a fuel economy figure of 148.7mpg, which corresponds to CO2 emissions of 45 g/km. In electric mode, there are zero local CO2 emissions – the compact A1 e-tron is thus ecological and economical.

The third impression that the A1 e-tron makes is that of a larger car. The compact two-door boasts all of the strengths of the new A1 model series – the carefully tuned, sporty chassis with specially designed 18 inch alloy wheels and 215/35 R18 tyres; the generous, “grown-up” interior; the excellent fit and finish; and a multitude of high-end equipment.

The dark shade “ebony” dominates the interior. The seats – with stone gray seams – and the headliner are in “Alabaster White.”

At the end of 2012 Audi will launch the e-tron electric car that was seen last year at the Frankfurt Motor Show (IAA). A small series will be built, and will be the first electric car to reach the market.

Audi will be expanding its “e-tron” model family step by step: the A1 e-tron design study that the company is exhibiting at the Geneva Motor Show is an innovative Mega City Vehicle (MCV). Like the sports cars in the same family, it is electrically propelled and has a range of more than 50 kilometers (31 miles) in city traffic. With a peak power output of 75 kW (102 hp), the A1 e-tron is also fun to drive.

When the battery’s energy supply is exhausted, it is recharged by an exceptionally compact “range extender” consisting of a single-rotor Wankel engine and an electrical generator with a charge rating of up to 15 kW.

This device gives the A1 e-tron an additional range of 200 kilometers (124 miles). According to the draft standard for determining the fuel consumption of range-extender vehicles, the mean fuel consumption is 1.9 liters per 100 kilometers (123.8 US mpg), equivalent to CO2 emissions of only 45 g/km (72.42 g/mile).