Audi has just unveiled its newest member to the e-tron family, the e-tron GT. The all-new Audi e-tron GT is mechanically related to the Porsche Taycan, which it shares its platform with.
Starting with its design, the Audi e-tron GT is by far one of the most beautiful Audis we’ve seen in recent years. The low slung and striking silhouette oozes sportiness and modernity. It also happens to be Audi’s most aerodynamic car yet, with a drag coefficient of just 0.24 Cd. That slippery body features a number of sporty proportions, namely the sloping roofline and “Quattro Blisters,” which are the wide rear wheel arches that hark back to the original Audi Quattro rally car.
As the GT name implies, the e-tron GT is primarily designed to be a cross-continent grand tourer. Its performance intentions are matched by equal measures of luxury and practicality. The interior design is modern and high-tech, featuring Audi’s MMI Touch infotainment system and the Virtual Cockpit digital instrument cluster. Unlike most newer Audis though, the e-tron GT features a number of hard buttons, which we prefer over a purely touch-based interface. Audi is also particularly proud to highlight that buyers of the e-tron GT can opt for leather-free interiors along with seats that have been sustainably produced with recycled PET bottles.
Powering the Audi e-tron GT is a pair of electric motors, one at the front axle and one at the rear. There are two variants to choose from: e-tron GT quattro and the high-performance RS e-tron GT. The base e-tron GT Quattro produces 476 hp and 630 Nm for Europe and 469 hp and 630 Nm (522 hp SAE and 640 Nm with overboost) for North America. The more potent RS e-tron GT, meanwhile, produces 598 hp and 830 Nm for Europe and 590 hp and 830 Nm (637 hp SAE and same torque with overboost) for North America.
Both cars feature a two-speed gearbox, with first gear primarily used during hard launches. With overboost being used, the RS e-tron GT can accelerate to 100 kph in just 3.3 seconds while the standard e-tron GT does the same job in 3.9 seconds. Unlike the Tesla Model S, which warns the driver of accelerated wear when using launch control, the Audi e-tron GT focuses on repeatability. Thanks to an efficient thermal management system, hard launches can be repeated within quick successions.
Regardless of which variant you choose, the Audi e-tron GT comes with an 89 kWh battery that provides a range of up to 488 kilometers under the WLTP cycle in European spec. Thanks to the 800V electrical architecture that’s shared with the Porche Taycan, the e-tron GT allows charging of up to the industry’s fastest 270 kW DC fast chargers. Replenishing from five to 80 percent charge can happen in just 22.5 minutes, which is one of the fastest charging rates of any electric vehicle.
Aiding the e-tron GT’s handling is its new electro-mechanical steering that aims to balance long-distance comfort and sportiness and a flat-bottom battery that’s mounted so low into the car, the e-tron GT’s center of gravity is even lower than the Audi R8 supercar. Buyers can opt for additional upgrades to further improve the e-tron GT’s handling, such as an adaptive air suspension (standard on the RS e-tron GT) and rear-wheel steering.
The 2022 Audi e-tron GT will go on sale in the US this summer and should account for 50 percent of global e-tron GT sales. Europe and UK will be the e-tron GT’s other primary markets.
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