R K Posted September 17, 2009 Share Posted September 17, 2009 http://www.whatcar.com/car-news/frankfurt-audi-e-tron/243331 What is it?It's a battery-powered sportscar - and what a sportscar! Just take a look at the headline stats: 0-62mph in 4.8 seconds and a limited top speed of 124mph. Pulling power is an astonishing 3319lb ft - think 10 times the torque that's produced by the V8 Audi R8. It has a range of 154 miles. It's smaller than a R8 – more like a Porsche Boxster, but a little bit shorter and a little bit wider. The car is powered by not one, but four electric motors - a pair on the front axle and another pair on the rear - and the lithium-ion battery pack is situated at the front. The batteries can be charged within eight hours and Audi is developing a 'wireless' docking station - a bit like an electric toothbrush charger, but for a car! Inside, instead of the traditional instrument cluster, the e-tron has a large, fold-out central display with integrated MMI functions. It is flanked by two round dials. The MMI is controlled via a scroll pad with a touch-sensitive surface on the steering wheel. An analogue speedometer on the right provides speed information, the instrument on the left tells the driver how much power is being drawn. The central display shows the range in the status bar and has all the entertainment and navigation systems. Why is it important? It shows that Audi is seriously developing all-electric cars. Watch this space For a technology in its infancy this is pretty impressive stuff isn't it? 10 x the torques in a petrol R8? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
@contradevian Posted September 17, 2009 Share Posted September 17, 2009 Hmm well electric vehicles/motors have always had impressive torque. Even the humble milk float produces prodigious torque at low revs required for multiple stop-start deliveries. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minos Posted September 17, 2009 Share Posted September 17, 2009 Does it have air conditioning? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R K Posted September 17, 2009 Author Share Posted September 17, 2009 Does it have air conditioning? Can you not cope without? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minos Posted September 17, 2009 Share Posted September 17, 2009 Can you not cope without? Yes. I can't cope without it. When it comes with air con I'll have one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
@contradevian Posted September 17, 2009 Share Posted September 17, 2009 Can you not cope without? I can't. I love it in my VW. Lovely environmentally cocooned shell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Ayatollah Buggeri Posted September 17, 2009 Share Posted September 17, 2009 I suspect that Minos's implicit point is that aircon is a massive power drain. On the last car I had with aircon, running it reduced fuel efficiency by 3-4mpg. In an ICE-powered car there is no effective limit to the amount of electricity you can use. With every toy you switch on, the alternator imposes more resistance on the drive train and you need to burn a bit more petrol to overcome it. With an all electric car, the power for your headlights, satnav, aircon etc. comes from the same battery that is used to provide traction. Furthermore, there is no free supply of hot air for heating as there is with an ICE car, so battery power is needed to heat the cabin, too. If the quoted 154-mile range is true for the depths of winter, with headlights, demisters, cabin heat, radio, satnav and other stuff running, I'm impressed. However, if it assumes that no electricity is being used other than to drive the wheels, my guess is that you could more or less halve that for winter driving. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
athom Posted September 17, 2009 Share Posted September 17, 2009 I can't. I love it in my VW. Lovely environmentally cocooned shell. Ah, same here climatronic is the business. I love the way if you click it down one degree it'll instantly give you a waft of cool air rather than just reducing the heat for a bit. Very well thought out cars VWs, unlike jap and esp american cars it doesn't have anything that annoys me, no unwanted warning pings or illogical placements. It's just how i want it I really don't need to pay twice as much for second hand audi. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minos Posted September 17, 2009 Share Posted September 17, 2009 Ah, same here climatronic is the business. I love the way if you click it down one degree it'll instantly give you a waft of cool air rather than just reducing the heat for a bit. Very well thought out cars VWs, unlike jap and esp american cars it doesn't have anything that annoys me, no unwanted warning pings or illogical placements. It's just how i want it I really don't need to pay twice as much for second hand audi. But what have Krauts really ever done for us though? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joey Buttafueco Jr Posted September 17, 2009 Share Posted September 17, 2009 What does the induction note sound like when the high lift cams switch in at 6000rpm? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
athom Posted September 17, 2009 Share Posted September 17, 2009 Furthermore, there is no free supply of hot air for heating as there is with an ICE car, so battery power is needed to heat the cabin, too. A huge amount of heat is given of during combustion, has any thought been given to converting some of that energy? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minos Posted September 17, 2009 Share Posted September 17, 2009 A huge amount of heat is given of during combustion, has any thought been given to converting some of that energy? They should harness that heat to toast muffins and a boil a kettle. Breakfast at home is for wimps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Ayatollah Buggeri Posted September 17, 2009 Share Posted September 17, 2009 A huge amount of heat is given of during combustion, has any thought been given to converting some of that energy? Exactly. In an ICE car, the excess heat is used to boil water (being nerdy, a solution of diethylene glycol and water, but in this context it makes no odds), which in turn is pumped round a circuit of pipes, across which air is blown into the cabin in cold weather. So apart from 30-40w or so for the fan, you don't need any electricity to heat the cabin of an ICE car. However, in a car powered by an electric motor(s), there is no combustion and so no excess heat you can use to keep you warm while you drive. Presumably the cabins of electric cars are fitted with good old fashioned electric heater elements, just like the Bellings you see in 1970s soap operas. Surely the power needed to run them must put a significant dent in the car's range? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
athom Posted September 17, 2009 Share Posted September 17, 2009 They should harness that heat to toast muffins and a boil a kettle. Breakfast at home is for wimps. No, done that http://www.howcast.com/videos/1225-How-To-...Your-Car-Engine I was thinking about something more high tech than that. A generator working from air expansion with a heat exchanger rather than just releasing it to the air with a radiator. I don't know the physics well enough but seem that the explosive force of combustion happens and leaves a lot of heat to use. Surly we should have a little think about that and see if Britain can't come up with some great engineering like what we use to do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minos Posted September 17, 2009 Share Posted September 17, 2009 No, done that http://www.howcast.com/videos/1225-How-To-...Your-Car-EngineI was thinking about something more high tech than that. A generator working from air expansion with a heat exchanger rather than just releasing it to the air with a radiator. I don't know the physics well enough but seem that the explosive force of combustion happens and leaves a lot of heat to use. Surly we should have a little think about that and see if Britain can't come up with some great engineering like what we use to do. I'll stick to the toaster idea. I'm partial to a muffin or two of a morning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joey Buttafueco Jr Posted September 17, 2009 Share Posted September 17, 2009 A huge amount of heat is given of during combustion, has any thought been given to converting some of that energy? Look at what BMW are up to Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
@contradevian Posted September 17, 2009 Share Posted September 17, 2009 Ah, same here climatronic is the business. I love the way if you click it down one degree it'll instantly give you a waft of cool air rather than just reducing the heat for a bit. Very well thought out cars VWs, unlike jap and esp american cars it doesn't have anything that annoys me, no unwanted warning pings or illogical placements. It's just how i want it I really don't need to pay twice as much for second hand audi. You've got it. Climatronic. What cars were invented for. The other day when it was muggy, and got straight back inside the car. How do people cope outside? Plus a big rattly 2.5 V6 Fuel injected deisel + turbo .. and 40+ mpg too! And its environmentallysound too as it saves carbon to aircon my car than a whole house. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
athom Posted September 17, 2009 Share Posted September 17, 2009 I'll stick to the toaster idea. I'm partial to a muffin or two of a morning. Well you take it easy, someone else will make their fortune from this great idea Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joey Buttafueco Jr Posted September 17, 2009 Share Posted September 17, 2009 However, in a car powered by an electric motor(s), there is no combustion and so no excess heat Are you proposing that the motors are 100% efficient? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
athom Posted September 17, 2009 Share Posted September 17, 2009 Are you proposing that the motors are 100% efficient? I can't imagine they'd give off enough heat to heat a car anyway. If there is not enough to warrant liquid cooling the problem would also be channelling the heat to the cabin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
@contradevian Posted September 17, 2009 Share Posted September 17, 2009 Are you proposing that the motors are 100% efficient? Electric motors are more efficient, typically 60-90% depending on the type. Old series wound type motors found in a milk float are not particularly efficient. However newer permanent magnet types can be as much as 90% efficient though not obviously over the entire speed/power range. Don't know where the materials for permanent magnets are mined. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joey Buttafueco Jr Posted September 17, 2009 Share Posted September 17, 2009 I can't imagine they'd give off enough heat to heat a car anyway. If there is not enough to warrant liquid cooling the problem would also be channelling the heat to the cabin. Didn't the Tesla's motor overheat on Top Gear? Or was it the batteries? Just checked - motor http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oUw43oC2A34 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
athom Posted September 17, 2009 Share Posted September 17, 2009 Look at what BMW are up to FFS the krauts beat us to it again :angry: it's spacecraft technology to capture heat and convert it into electrical power. http://www.carmagazine.co.uk/News/Search-R...ept-sports-car/ The annoying thing as well is you often later find that it was a Brit working for them who comes up with these things. We really need to re-industrialise our nation so our geniuses have somewhere to work Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
@contradevian Posted September 17, 2009 Share Posted September 17, 2009 The annoying thing as well is you often later find that it was a Brit working for them who comes up with these things. We really need to re-industrialise our nation so our geniuses have somewhere to work Yup the germans put our geniuses to work, where they should be, wealth creating technologies. In the Uk, they would work in a bank, betting on house prices and junk bonds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R K Posted September 17, 2009 Author Share Posted September 17, 2009 Yup the germans put our geniuses to work, where they should be, wealth creating technologies.In the Uk, they would work in a bank, betting on house prices and junk bonds. and able to afford german cars Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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