Harvey Soicher pictured with his then brand new Audi e-tron a couple of days before embarking on Mary Anns Electric Drive.Andrew McCredie What do you get when you combine a cross-country electric vehicle road trip with a poignant love story? Mary Anns Electric Drive, thats what. In this weeks episode of Plugged In, we chat with Harvey Soicher, a Vancouver man who tragically lost his soul mate 18 months ago but found some semblance of healing by embracing what he calls a pioneer spirit to drive his Audi e-tron from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean and back. Plugged In is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, and Google Podcasts.Is the player not working? Click
Origin: Plugged In: Coast-to-coast and back in an Audi e-tron
E-tron
The Audi RSQ E-Tron Concept is back in ‘Spies in Disguise’
There’s a new trend in super-spy transportation: electric power. Bond is set to drive the Aston Martin Rapide E in the upcoming franchise film, and over in the animated world, Audi is gearing up its first pixelated concept car, which is also electric.The Audi RSQ E-Tron concept is set to debut in the upcoming animated movie Spies in Disguise. The short video teaser titled “Lunch Break” features Lance Sterling (with the voice and goatee of Will Smith) acting all cool, like only a super-spy can in the passenger seat of the Audi RSQ E-Tron concept, while the high-strung nerdy weapons specialist Walter Beckett (Tom Holland) freaks out beside him. There’s a broken bridge, which the Audi jumps; a helicopter, which the Audi outruns on the streets with its Audi on Demand Performance Package Power Boost; and a targeted missile, which the Audi outmaneuvers in the subway system.As the car careens around the city, we get a glimpse of a holographic cluster, an infotainment centre on the windshield and a digital dash running the width of the car. And when the spot ends, we see Beckett behind the wheel “living his best life,” unaware that autopilot is on. Presumably, they also head to a drive-thru after this is all over — because this was their lunch break, and spies gotta eat. Spies in Disguise will arrive in theatres on December 25,
Origin: The Audi RSQ E-Tron Concept is back in ‘Spies in Disguise’
Audi bolsters its EV lineup with the 2020 e-tron Sportback
2020 Audi e-tron SportbackHandout / Audi What is it?The Audi e-tron Sportback takes the lower half of current e-tron SUV and marries it with the top half of an A7. When launched, the sharp-looking Sportback will be offered in two different flavours: The Sportback 55 has the same powertrain as the current e-tron, meaning a 95 kWh battery and two electric motors good for 355 horsepower and 414 lb.-ft. of torque. The key difference is Sportbacks sleeker aerodynamics, mechanical improvements, and increased regenerative braking extend the the driving range to 450 kiometres. The second model is the Sportback 50 it has a smaller 72 kWh battery, a net output of 320 horsepower, and a driving range of 340 kilometres. Sharper fastback look aside, the only real difference is the cargo capacity it drops by 45 litres to 615. The rest, from the cabin layout to the suspension, is carried over from the SUV.Why does it matter?Perhaps the highlight of the Sportback is its optional digital matrix LED lighting, with a 1.2-million-pixel chip. The chip itself isnt new, as its been used in overhead projectors, but the e-tron Sportback is the first automotive application. In theory, and if/when legislation permits, the chip has the capability to play a black-and-white movie on the road ahead using just the headlights!CHECK OUT ALL OUR LATEST AUTO SHOW COVERAGEAs each of the pixels can be controlled individually when an oncoming car is detected, the pixels of light that would normally blind that driver are shut down. The pixels are also used to put virtual lines on the road ahead of the car. These represent the width of the Sportback, which makes it is easier to judge placement within the lane and how space there is should the lane narrow.The party trick is the driver can pick one of five pre-programmed light patterns when the car is first unlocked. The demo saw a twirling logo light up the wall ahead of the car in a dancing light display. Gimmicky? Yes, but it is also a very interesting extension it has much more visual punch than projecting the name of the car on the ground! When is it coming?The 2020 Audi e-tron Sportback will hit Canadian roads in middle of next year.Should you buy it?The e-tron Sportback adds a sharper-looking alternative to the e-tron SUV. While the new 50 model is an interesting take on things, its the topline 55 thats going to be the seller. The good news is that the price increase will be small estimated to be around $3,000 when compared to the current
Origin: Audi bolsters its EV lineup with the 2020 e-tron Sportback
Audi E-tron 50 revealed as value version of flagship EV
Audi has revealed the E-tron 50 as a cheaper and lighter version of its flagship electric SUV. Due to arrive in the UK in early 2020, the new variant weighs roughly 120kg less than the 2565kg E-tron 55, primarily as a result of its smaller battery pack. The E-tron 50’s 71kWh pack – likely to be the lowest-capacity battery Audi will offer in the E-tron – enables it to achieve a range of up to 186 miles on the WLTP test cycle. That’s 55 miles fewer than the 95kWh E-tron 55. By comparison, the E-tron’s main rival, the Mercedes-Benz EQC, has a WLTP-certified range of 259 miles in its standard 400 form. A future lower-spec variant could be expected to offer less than 200 miles. While the E-tron 55 is compatible with 150kW chargers, the E-tron 50 can only accept up to 120kW. It can still, however, be charged to 80% in approximately half an hour at a rapid-charging station. The E-tron 50 is also less potent than the E-tron 55. It employs the same twin-motor setup, but maximum power is down from 402bhp to 308bhp and maximum torque is down from 490lb ft to 398lb ft. The E-tron 50 has a 0-62mph time of 7.0sec and an electronically limited top speed of 118mph. Regenerative braking technology recuperates energy in more than 90% of brake applications, working alongside an electrohydraulic brake assistance system that activates when braking force exceeds 0.3g. Audi says this “results in short braking distances in all situations”. The E-tron 50 will be built alongside the more powerful version at Audi’s EV production facility in Forest, Belgium. Exact pricing is yet to be confirmed, but the E-tron 55 can be expected to cost around £10,000 less than the E-tron 55, which starts at £71,520 before government grants. Audi isn’t the only manufacturer to offer a range of battery sizes across its new family of electric vehicles. Tesla has long employed this strategy, while the new Volkswagen ID 3 hatchback will be offered with three different units when it launches later this year, with range rising from 205 miles in the entry-level model to 342 miles at the top of the
Origin: Audi E-tron 50 revealed as value version of flagship EV
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