A look at the hybrid A3 E-Tron
Audi introduced this petrol/electric hybrid car packed with modern features at the Shanghai Motor Show.
A four-seater saloon built around a modified RS3 Sportback chassis, the A3 E-Tron concept is 4.44m long x 1.84m wide x 1.39m high, with a 2.63m wheelbase. The boot has a 410 litre capacity.
The construction makes use of lightweight materials and modern joining techniques to keep the overall weight down to 1,720kg: carbon fibre-reinforced polymer (CFRP) is used for grilles, intakes, mirrors, with aluminium used for the doors, bonnet and tailgate.
The petrol engine used is a 1.4 four-cylinder direct injection model which produces 211 PS (the German horsepower definition), with the electric motor adding a further 27 PS. When both engines are used the A3 E-Tron will do 0-62mph in under 7 seconds, with a top speed of 144mph. However, when the electric motor is used on its own the lithium-ion batteries give it a range of 34 miles. The batteries recover power whenever the car is in motion, and can be charged directly from the household mains. This means that it would be possible to use the car for city driving almost indefinitely without using the petrol engine, therefore avoiding any emissions.
The gear system is a seven-speed 'S Tronic' system with two clutches, which can be used either in automatic or manual mode; in the latter gears are changed using paddles on the steering wheel, and the drive positions Reverse Neutral and Drive are set with buttons where the gearstick would be. There are five driver modes that will set the gear shift points as well as engine characteristics and power steering response, including a setting for maximum fuel efficiency. Other energy-saving features include rack-and-pinion steering that uses no energy when driving straight, Audi's start-stop system that switches the engine off when stuck in traffic, and thermal management and energy recovery systems.
Inside, the design is reminiscent of a cockpit; the look is sleek and light to create a feeling of space. The dashboard is minimal, with the hybrid instruments under the steering wheel. There are three: a needle to show total system output as a percentage; a green and orange segmented display to show whether power is being drawn from the electric motor or the petrol engine - or both; and finally a battery level display.
The eight inch MMI (multimedia interface) monitor extends out of the console and displays information on power consumption and recuperation in the form of easy to understand bar graphs and 3D graphics. The new 'MMI Touch' touchpad is a rotary button allowing for easy scrolling and selection.
Internet access (including online services from Google) comes via the UMTS standard and the car has a WLAN (wireless local area network) hotspot so passengers can use their own internet-enabled devices.