So the dream transforms into reality. Yes, most probably the highly anticipated concept car that was developed in 2009, has finally hit the production lines. Audi recently took the veil off its magnificent R8 e-tron 2.0 at Geneva Motor Show. The R8 E-Tron concept was first presented at Frankfurt Motor Show in 2009, but the project halted due to lack of suitable technology and other issues. But now we have got second-generation R8 with all its grandeur and “electric” power.
This road monster carries a large 92-kWh T-shaped lithium-ion battery, which is structurally integrated into the centre tunnel behind the occupant cell. This battery promises to cover 450 kms in one go and can be charged in less than two hours (whoa), thanks to the new Combined Charging System that uses a combination of direct and alternating current, thus charges the battery quickly.
Two electric motors sit at the rear of the vehicle churning out 456 horsepower and 679 pound-feet of torque, which take it from rest to 100 km/h in just 3.9 seconds. Top speed can be somewhere between 209 km/h to 250 km/h.
To shed weight, engineers have added more carbon fibre to the body as compared to standard R8, thus made R8 E-Tron 2.0 lighter and more powerful. These aerodynamic improvements have brought the drag co-efficient down to super-slippery 0.28. The 2016 Audi R8 E-Tron sports car is still in testing stages and will be produced on customer’s demand.