Audi R8 E-Tron

Audi has made the battery breakthrough that was necessary to bring the Audi R8 e-tron to production.

Speaking today at Audi's annual press conference, Dr. Ulrich Hackenberg, Member of the Board of Management at AUDI AG for Technical Development, fully confirmed that the R8 e-tron is set to launch:

"My Board of Management colleagues and I appreciate that many of you are awaiting news on our fully battery electric vehicle, the Audi R8 e-tron."

"In recent months, I have had a very close look at these electric high-performance sports cars with my team The latest development work is very convincing. We have increased their range from 215 to approximately 450 kilometers, which is a decisive step towards everyday practicality. This significant step is the result of progress with battery technology and a revised package with a considerably higher power density. In brief: We combine power and stamina. We have made significant efficiency gains with mechanical as well as electrical and electronic components of the R8 e-tron. The drivetrain is more efficient and onboard electricity consumption has been considerably reduced due to optimizing the power electronics. I am very proud of these achievements of my team."

"The Board of Management of AUDI AG has decided to offer the next-generation R8 e-tron as a manufactured sports car upon customer request. And we will make intensive use of the next generation of the R8 e-tron as an open technology carrier and working instrument for our engineers to test and further develop technologies for the future."

This marks the first time that Audi has officially commented on the R8 e-tron as being confirmed for production.  Sure, it won't be a mass-produced vehicle, but it will soon be built "upon customer request."

Previously released specs for the R8 e-tron no longer apply as the battery pack now clearly features next-gen tech and more kWh, but here are those old figures:

  • 381 hp
  • 605 pound-feet of torque
  • 0 to 62 in ~ 4 seconds
  • Top speed 124 mph
Moving on to price, we see that the R8 e-tron is one of those "if you have to ask"... Actually, there's no pricing information available at this time, but one word comes to mind: EXPENSIVE.

Got a tip for us? Email: tips@insideevs.com