Writing rally racing history with the Audi Sport Quattro S1 in the 1980s, Audi continues to set the bar in high performance through its revolutionary quattro all-wheel drive concept. The 2023 Audi e-tron GT and RS e-tron GT four-door grand touring models — now available in Audi Philippines’ showrooms — reinterpret this legendary technology with fully electric drivetrains, ensuring immense power, agile handling and supreme traction.
The Audi e-tron GT and RS e-tron GT do not only spearhead the brand’s ever-expanding fully electric portfolio, but also serve as the Audi’s new performance icon. Both e-tron GT models are equipped with two powerful electric motors, each located on the front and rear axles, to create an electric quattro all-wheel drive system. With this, Audi redefines supercar standards via fully electric power.
In the Audi e-tron GT, the electric motors produce 530 hp and 630 Nm, allowing the car to accelerate from zero to 100 km/h in 3.9 seconds. The pair of electric motors in the Audi RS e-tron GT put out 646 hp and 830 Nm, letting the car sprint from rest to 100 km/h in only 3.1 seconds. The performance figures place both models on a par with the V10-powered Audi R8 supercar, all while generating zero emissions.
Located on the front fenders of the Audi e-tron GT and RS e-tron GT are charging points dedicated to either alternating current (AC) or direct current (DC) chargers. The models’ 800-volt system — double the usual specification for electric vehicles — means their lithium-ion battery units can be charged quickly. When fully charged, the Audi e-tron GT’s driving range is as much as 500 kilometers, while that of the Audi RS e-tron GT’s is as much as 481 kilometers (both according to WLTP tests). This makes the cars exceptionally suitable for daily use and road trips.
The quattro system — a defining technology for Audi for more than 40 years — evolves into the electric quattro in the Audi e-tron GT and RS e-tron GT. In these models, the system continuously splits torque output, within milliseconds, between the cars’ axles. It also varies the distribution depending on requirements and conditions, and is able to send all the torque to one axle. Wheel-selective torque control further aids in ensuring maximum traction. The result is highly precise handling which can be adjusted over a wide range via the chassis control systems — from comfortable to sporty.
When set in “comfort” mode, the electric motors work together in the most energy-saving way possible. In “dynamic,” it delivers handling traits similar to a rear-wheel drive car. In “efficiency,” it prioritizes a front-wheel drive set-up, which is ideal in most driving conditions.
In the Philippines, Audi is one of two global luxury automakers which have sold the most number of fully electric vehicles. Customers who have taken deliveries of Audi e-tron models have expressed satisfaction over the vehicles’ performance, suitability for daily use, long driving range, and the convenience offered by home and destination charging solutions. Other key benefits cited by customers are their huge savings on high fuel prices, and the Audi e-tron models’ exemption from the plate number-coding scheme.
Supporting the domestic adoption of the fully electric Audi e-tron GT and RS e-tron are the initiatives of Audi Philippines, which form part of PGA Cars’ “FutureNow” program involving significant investments. The program has allowed Audi Philippines to lead the country’s transition to sustainable and premium electric-powered mobility — a position that can only be charged up further by the arrival of the 2023 Audi e-tron GT and RS e-tron GT.