Audi is using the e-Tron badge for different electric vehicles in its range and will bring its Audi R8 e-Tron to market before the A1 e-Tron. We’ve already seen the former model with its four electric motors on each wheel producing some impressive performance numbers, and production plans are for it to get to market in late 2012. As an electric supercar it will compete with others like the Mercedes SLS AMG E-cell and its technical stats should be nothing short of revolutionary: 308 hp and 1,600 kg.

Audi is also performing testing on its other e-Tron family member - the Audi A1 e-Tron. It might sound odd, but while the A1 e-Tron will never be as exclusive as the R8, we’re more excited by it. Why? Because Audi’s hot minicar in an electric version will be all the more accessible than the R8 and therefore a more useful innovation.

The A1 e-Tron is not strictly speaking an all-electric vehicle. It’s a range-extending one which includes both a tiny Wankel 250cc rotary engine with 20 hp, and an electric motor fed by 12 kW lithium ion batteries that produces between 61 and 102 hp. Torque is measured at 150 Nm in normal conditions, reaching 240 Nm in maximum performance. Videos after the jump.

Continue reading: Audi e-Tron videos and production news

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The first Audi A1 on-road video shows the new compact driven by Markus Winkelhock (official Audi DTM driver), in a more modest standard version than those we’ve seen so far, although we do get a look at the famous “wasabi green” interior inserts and trim. With commentary from Horst Glaser of Audi’s chassis department, this is the first real sense I’ve got that the A1 could be a serious contender to the Mini, without the retro style, of course.

The A1 debut at the 2010 Geneva motor show was almost overshadowed by the A1 E-Tron prototype; the third in the E-Tron family, none of them are headed for production in the near future, although the second compact E-Tron is said to be the future Audi R4. In any case, if we were to see an A1 E-Tron in production, it could be a coup for Audi in conquering the urban electric market. We’ll have to wait and see.

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Four models from Audi: the Audi A1, Audi RS5 and the two prototypes A8 hybrid and A1 E-Tron, have been presented at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show. You can see all the new models in these live pics from the Audi stand at Geneva, with the A1 and RS5 appearing in dealerships in the next few months.

The Audi A8 hybrid is a classic hybrid model with combined electric and fuel power with a total of 245 hp. 34 hp come from the electric component while the 2.0-litre TSI supplies 211 hp. The A1 E-Tron on the other hand, is a range extending model that uses a fuel engine as a generator to the electric part. No impressive performance figures are to be seen here, just amazingly low fuel consumption and CO2 emissions - the former measures just 1.9-litres of petrol for every 100 km. At the show, Audi is also celebrating 30 years of its Quattro all-wheel drive technology.

Audi live pics from 2010 Geneva: A1 and RS5

Continue reading: Audi A1 and RS5 live at Geneva motor show

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Yesterday the Audi A1 electric for the 2010 Geneva Motor Show was a possibility, we now know that the A1 E-Tron is definitely Audi’s “surprise” for the show. Appearing alongside the new compact A1, the A1 E-Tron is the third in the E-Tron family to be produced. It uses the same kind of range extending, generator technology we’ve been seeing lately (for example on the Opel Ampera), with the capacity to run on electric power, using a combustion engine as generator.

The Wankel fuel engine is a rotary motor which produces power for the electric motor, of about 102 hp. Overall, 105 Nm of torque are produced continuously with peak torque at 240 Nm. The electric motor is powered by a 12 kW lithium ion battery pack stored under the floor and weighing about 150 kg. The range of the A1 in all-electric mode is about 50 km.

Some high-tech features are included on the model, with the GPS navigator coming into play. Audi claims that on programming a destination into the navigator, the A1 E-Tron will automatically choose the most efficient way to generate the engine. The range extender can also be switched on manually.

Overall the car weighs 1,190 kg and can accelerate to 100 km/hr in 10.2 seconds. It has a top speed of 130 km/hr, all of which make this A1 electric strictly a city vehicle, although with a total range of 250 km, longer urban commuting could be achieved. What will be interesting to see in the future is which, if any, of this family of E-Trons will become a production model. If Audi is serious about electric cars, the A1 could be just the kind of premium compact city electric that could be successful. We’ll bring you live pics of the Audi A1 E-Tron from the Geneva show, and to read more about the car, have a look at the press release after the jump.

Continue reading: Audi A1 E-Tron confirmed for Geneva show

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The new Audi A1 premium compact will be present at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show, but a rumour has emerged that we could see an A1 electric model, too. In Audi’s press invitations for the show, we learn that the new A1 will be presented by Justin Timberlake, the RS5 will also be on show, and the A8 hybrid, and that a “surprise” is also in the works.

The idea for an A1 electric has come from an analysis of the recent presentations of the Audi E-Tron, when we first saw the E-Tron as an R8 electric version at last year’s Geneva show. The next E-Tron presented was a smaller model labelled as the fore-runner to the R4, while now bets are we could see a third E-Tron based on the A1 platform.

Whether this is a logical conclusion or not, you can decide, but with only a few days to go before the 2010 Geneva show kicks off, we won’t have long to wait to find out what this new Audi surprise is.

Source | LeBuzzAuto

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