Audi E-Tron to Top Tesla With 150 KwH DC Fast Charging

The upcoming Audi E-Tron SUV, which will be the first vehicle launched under Audi’s new E-Tron sub-brand for electric vehicles, will feature 150 kWh DC fast charging.

Audi first announced 150 kWh fast charging for the E-Tron back in March, but now more details on the Tesla-topping technology has come to light. The fast chargers will be located at new IONITY charging stations throughout Europe. IONITY is a consortium of automakers that have banded together to set up electric charging stations along major roadways all over Europe, with nearly 200 IONITY charge points set to be installed before the end of 2018. The 150 kWh fast charging will also be standard on all E-Tron models and will charge the battery from flat to 80% capacity in just 30 minutes.

In addition to the fast charging, the E-Tron can also be charged from a residential outlet at a rating of 11 kW. A more robust 22 kW home charger will be offered as an optional extra as well.

The E-Tron’s battery pack will be mounted in the floor of the vehicle between the front and rear axles, just like other EVs on sale today. Autocar reports the battery will consist of 36 modules that are roughly the same size as a shoebox. Each of the modules will contain 12 battery assemblies manufactured by LG Chem or Samsung and will be rated at 60 amp hours. The production version of the SUV will have a driving range of around 250 miles.

Regular versions of the E-Tron will have a single electric motor mounted at the front and rear axle, making it all-wheel drive. It’s too early to predict how much power the two motors will make, but performance-minded buyers will want to wait for the more powerful three-motor E-Tron, which will debut a short while after the two-motor version.

The production E-Tron is expected to make its debut in late August at the 2018 Brussels Motor Show. It will likely go on sale in Europe and North America in early-to-mid 2019.

[Source: Autocar]

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