Audi is reportedly looking to compete with Tesla's famous Model S in 2017, planning an all-electric vehicle geared toward families.
"Such a car is under development," Dr. Ulrich Hackenberg, Audi's head of technical development, told Auto Express. "I was able to reengineer the R8 e-tron project and technology with the team and we are on the way to a range of 450 kilometers (280 miles). Let's say that technology will also be carried over and is a trailer for another car with long range. It is under development and will be in the market for around 2017, but it will not be a sports car."
The all-new vehicle will be equipped with next-generation electric motor and battery components to allow for its impressive 280-mile range. In comparison, Tesla's Model S can have a battery range of around 300 miles per charge when equipped with the 85kWh option.
According to Volkswagen Group's Dr. Heinz-Jakob Neußer, who leads powertrain development, the new electric motors boast as much as five times greater efficiency compared with motors used on the eGolf and other current models.
Hackenberg declined to add more details about the upcoming model, but Auto Express says a saloon-style body is likely since the large surface area would give space for bigger, more powerful batteries to be installed under the floor without taking room from passengers.
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