2019 Audi e-tron Quattro: Driving the Prototype in Namibia
2019 Audi e-tron quattro prototype drive - The Car Guide flew to Bitterwasser, Namibia for a first drive of protottypes of the e-tron quattro electric SUV.
2019 Audi e-tron quattro prototype drive - There’s a gathering storm over the horizon on the wide expanse known as the Salt Pan in Bitterwasser, on the edge of the Kalahari Desert in Namibia. A huge dust cloud is getting bigger and bigger, and you quickly realize that this sandstorm is caused, not by the wind blowing through the Namibian savanna, but by a silent all-electric SUV strafing the land at speed. It’s hot, very dusty and eerily quiet here, and this is the location for our first drive of pre-production prototypes of the 2019 Audi e-tron quattro.
2019 Audi e-tron quattro prototype drive - Why Namibia and why Bitterwasser? Simply put, this harsh and unforgiving environment presents numerous opportunities to test Audi’s fifth all-wheel-drive system, developed specifically for the all-electric e-tron quattro. The surface of the Salt Pan, made up of a mix of salt, sand and dust, closely resembles that of hard packed snow, and the over 35 degree Celsius heat is a good test for the two liquid-cooled electric motors powering the car.
2019 Audi e-tron quatrro prototype drive - .The two electric motors get their energy from a 95 kilowatt-hour battery, developed and built by Audi. This battery, which is located under the floor of the vehicle, is about the size of a double bed and weighs 699 kilograms.
2019 Audi e-tron quattro prototype drive - Audi engineers claim that the e-tron quattro will have a range of 400 kilometers, which seems conservative when you take into account the size of the battery. In “boost” mode and with launch control engaged, the e-tron quattro will go from zero to one hundred kilometers per hour in 5.7 seconds, impressive when you realize that the vehicle weighs close to two and a half metric tons, tipping the scales at 2490 kilos. Peak horsepower and torque are rated at 402 horsepower and 490 pounds-feet in boost mode.
2019 Audi e-tron quattro prototype drive - Whether on the Salt Pan or off-roading through the soft dunes, the e-tron quattro feels like it has been carved out of a single block of granite, as the vehicle’s structure is incredibly stiff.
2019 Audi e-tron quattro prototype drive - The vehicle’s structure is incredibly stiff. When questioned on this point, Audi engineers were quick to point out that the torsional rigidity of the e-tron quattro is some forty-five percent higher than that of a conventional SUV owing to the fact that the floor of the vehicle is made up of it’s large battery.
2019 Audi e-tron quattro prototype drive - On a special part of the off-road course, it was possible to balance the vehicle with two wheels on the ground and the other two in the air, with all doors opening and closing without any problem.
2019 Audi e-tron quattro prototype drive - On a special part of the off-road course, it was possible to balance the vehicle with two wheels on the ground and the other two in the air, with all doors opening and closing without any problem.
2019 Audi e-tron quattro prototype drive - On a special dynamic handling course laid out on Bitterwasser’s Salt Pan, we were able to drive the e-tron quattro at speed while trying out the vehicle’s specific all-wheel-drive system. As this is an electric vehicle powered by two separate motors, electronic components play a key role in apportioning torque where it is needed, and selectively braking independent wheels as required in order to maintain stability.
2019 Audi e-tron quattro prototype drive - With the electronic stability control system on, the e-tron quattro behaved just like a conventional SUV, with smooth, always-in-control dynamics. Switching to ESC Sport made the vehicle more playful, allowing for controlled slides with the system only intervening during the counter-steering phase on corner exits.
2019 Audi e-tron quattro prototype drive - It is also possible to switch the system off completely and to make the e-tron quattro a full-on drift machine, which is a lot of fun on a closed course with nothing to hit. At 2490 kilos, the e-tron quattro is rather heavy, but the axle load weight distribution is a perfect 50/50.
2019 Audi e-tron quattro prototype drive - Canadian dollar pricing has not yet been finalized, but pricing for the United States has been announced at 74,800 dollars for the Premium Plus, 81,800 for the Prestige variant and 86,700 for Edition 1 models. In Canada, Audi has set-up a reservation on it’s consumer website through which customers can reserve a vehicle by placing a one thousand dollar deposit. The e-tron quattro will be available in Canada in the second quarter of 2019.
2019 Audi e-tron quattro prototype drive - We came away impressed with our first drive of pre-production prototypes of the 2019 Audi e-tron quattro and look forward to driving the actual series production model later this year. Stay in touch.
2019 Audi e-tron quattro prototype drive - Some curious bystanders...
2019 Audi e-tron quattro prototype drive - Gabriel Gélinas at the wheel on the Salt Pan in Bitterwasser, Namibia.
2019 Audi e-tron quattro prototype drive - Quick photo shoot with the vehicle at sunset on the Salt Pan at Bitterwasser, Namibia and a quick run to escape the dust cloud created by another sliding vehicle...
2019 Audi e-tron quattro prototype drive - Quick photo shoot with the vehicle at sunset on the Salt Pan at Bitterwasser, Namibia and a quick run to escape the dust cloud created by another sliding vehicle...
2019 Audi e-tron quattro prototype drive - Quick photo shoot with the vehicle at sunset on the Salt Pan at Bitterwasser, Namibia and a quick run to escape the dust cloud created by another sliding vehicle...
2019 Audi e-tron quattro prototype drive - The vehicles wer fitted with conventionnal Goodyear Eagle Sport tires, not aggressive off-road tires, and were able to handle the conditions without any problem.
2019 Audi e-tron quattro prototype drive - The prototypes were fiited with conventionnal Goodyear Eagle Sport tires, not aggressive off-road tires, and were able to handle the soft dunes without any problem.
2019 Audi e-tron quattro prototype drive - If you have read our report from the world premiere of the Audi e-tron quattro in San Francisco a few weeks ago, you can skip this paragraph. If you have not, here’s a quick rundown on what the e-tron quattro is all about. It’s an all-electric SUV powered by twin electric motors, one for the front axle and one for the rear.
2019 Audi e-tron quattro prototype drive - Curious bystanders...
2019 Audi e-tron quattro prototype drive
2019 Audi e-tron quattro prototype drive
2019 Audi e-tron quattro prototype drive - At play on the Salt Pabn in Bitterwasser, Namibia.
2019 Audi e-tron quattro prototype drive - Getting playful on the Salt Pan in Bitterwasser, Namibia.
2019 Audi e-tron quattro prototype drive
2019 Audi e-tron quattro prototype - Sunset on the Salt pan in Bitterwasser, Namibia.
2019 Audi e-tron quattro prototype drive - Sunset on the Salt Pan in Bitterwasser, Namibia
