Audi PB18 E-Tron: Electric racer with up to 774 hp

D he PB18 electric superspot car receives the green light! The new Audi boss Bram Schot spoke accordingly to the Dutch media. The series version of the study will be launched with a print run of 50 copies. The technical components are also retained. After the disaster of the first Audi R8 E-Tron, a new edition of the Audi R8 with electric drive is announced.

Shooting Brake athlete measures 4.53 meters

Specifically, it is the PB18 E-Tron is a mid-engine sports car weighing around 1,550 kg with 680 hp (500 kW). It is 4.53 meters long, two meters wide and 1.15 meters high. The wheelbase is 2.70 meters and the overhangs are short. Together with the roof line drawn far back and the wide C-pillar, the rear is reminiscent of a shooting brake model. Surprising: Audi specifies the trunk volume as 470 liters. That would be very generous for a sports car. For comparison: a VW Golf VII only packs 380 liters. The body consists of a mixture of aluminum, carbon and multi-material composites.

Slidable monocoque and fold-out second seat

Inside, the PB18 E-Tron turns out to be a little box of tricks: because the driver's seat and The cockpit is integrated in an inner monocoque shell that can be moved sideways. The advantage: If the pilot wants to drive off alone, he can position himself in the middle as in a monoposto. If another passenger is on board, the cockpit can be moved to the left and another seat can be folded out on the right. According to Audi, the flexibility arises from the fact that the steering and pedals can be controlled by wire - the Ingolstadt-based company dispensed with mechanical connections in this study.

Audi

The driver not only looks at the road, but at a transparent OLED surface on which, for example, navigation data orbut also show the ideal line of a racetrack - Audi emphasizes several times that the study should stand for pure driving pleasure. For example, while the Aicon came packed with assistance systems, the focus of the PB18 is on the driver.

Range up to 500 kilometers

The Elektro-Renners battery pack is located between the monocoque and the rear axle. The liquid-cooled solid-state battery is 95 kWh. A full charge should last for more than 500 km (WLTP). The study is designed for charging with 800 volts - if the appropriate infrastructure is available, the PB18 can be fully charged in 15 minutes. In addition, inductive charging is also possible here, i.e. without cables, but with a charging plate that is placed under the vehicle.

The batteries provide power for three electric motors. One sits in front, the other two are in the middle between the steering knuckles and each drive a wheel via half-shafts. They feed an output of up to 150 kW to the front axle and 450 kW to the rear axle. Overall, the PB18 E-Tron has an output of 500 kW (680 PS), and for a short time even 570 kW (774 PS) are available, promises Audi. The torque is 830 Newton meters, a sprint from zero to one hundred is the Stromer in a good two seconds. A Torque Control Manager distributes the torque to the wheels of the front and rear axles as required.

Chassis as on the Le Mans racer

Audi was also based on Le for the chassis of the study Mans-Renner: The PB18 E-Tron has independent suspension on the lower and upper wishbones at the front and rear. Then there are 22-inch wheels and 19-inch carbon brake discs, which are only used when there is severe deceleration. The electric motors, which use recuperation to recover energy, provide light braking. Another Le Mans feature is the laser high beam, which is supposed to ensure an illuminated route even at speeds of over 300 km /h.