Audi has rolled out a slew of new e-hybrid plug-in hybrid models in Europe, all with impressive EV-only driving range and charging specs.
For quite some time, Audi was laser-focused on all-electric vehicles, and was quite clear that it considered such things to be the future. Audi planned on transitioning its entire lineup to EVs, in fact, until consumer demand wavered, prompting it – and its peers – to pivot away from pure electric strategies. Pretty much every automotive brand has a slightly different strategy on how to deal with this shift in consumer preferences, but for Audi Europe, the answer is plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) – or e-hybrids, as it likes to call them.
In fact, Audi has introduced a pretty wide array of e-hybrid options for European customers – a list that includes the Q5 in SUV and Sportback body styles, the A5 sedan and Avant, the A6 sedan and Avant, the Q3 SUV, A3 allstreet TFSI e, and A3 Sportback TFSI e. Each is playing a big role in Audi’s electrification strategy, as it plans on offering an e-hybrid version of almost every combustion engine model series in its current lineup, with a focus on both range and charging speed, so that customers can get essentially the best of both worlds.
As most are well aware, PHEVs have long been a contention point in Europe, where regulators worry that owners don’t take advantage of their zero-emissions, all-electric driving capability by charging up every day. That’s precisely why Audi has focused on that area, adding new, larger, high-voltage batteries in the A5 e-hybrid, A6 e‑hybrid, Q3 e-hybrid and Q5 e-hybrid that provide 45 percent more energy content and around 46 percent higher energy density than the previous generation – resulting in a pure electric range of up to 119 kilometers (74 miles).
In addition to these larger batteries, Audi has also given its e-hybrid models a new management system that’s designed to maximize efficiency, too. It does that by incorporating parameters including route planning, progression, and sensor data, as well as leaning on a predictive operating strategy that results in more energy being recovered through regenerative braking – energy that’s then spread out intelligently along a route. EV-only driving is made easy via a singular button, or it can be turned on in the MMI settings, too.
In terms of charging speeds, the Audi e-hybrid lineup can fast-charge at speeds of up to 50 kW, but they’re also capable of three-phase charging with an 11 kW alternating current. As a result, going from a zero percent state of charge to 100 percent takes around 2.5 hours, and the vehicles come with the cable necessary to take advantage of this. In terms of DC fast charging, one can reach an 80 percent state of charge in just around 30 minutes, too. For most, this means that they’ll be able to at least commute to work each day without having to use a drop of gas, which is good for both their wallets and the environment.
“The increased electric range of our new plug-in hybrids enables our customers to cover the majority of their daily journeys using only electric power,” said Audi CTO Geoffrey Bouquot. “Our hybrid technology combines the best of both worlds and provides a high degree of flexibility for everyday life. And with the new technology designation ‘e-hybrid,’ this is now also recognizable at first glance.”
Photos: Audi
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