The Audi A3 Sportback e-tron has been named the car with the most stable residual value in its class.

This according to Auto Bild magazine and market research institute Schwacke, in Germany.

The A3 e-tron stood out with the best residual value forecast among the compact cars, receiving the title “Wertmeister 2015.”

Every year, Auto Bild and Schwacke select the cars in each class that are expected to depreciate the least during the following four years. The winners take the “Wertmeister” title.

Wertmeister can be translated to English as World Champion.

The Audi A3 Sportback e-tron is the winner in the “Compact Car” category with a residual value of 57.3 percent.

The Audi A3 e-tron is the first plug-in hybrid from Audi, combining per the German company sporty power with impressive efficiency and abundant driving enjoyment with unrestricted everyday utility.

In Europe, the Audi A3 Sportback e-tron is rated with a combined fuel consumption of 1.7 to 1.5 l/100 kilometer (138.4 to 156.8 US mpg).

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Audi has revealed its all-electric e-tron quattro Concept on the eve of the 2015 Frankfurt Motor Show.

Three electric motors, one on the front axle and two in the rear, put out a total of 429 horsepower, though 496 hp and 590 pound-feet of torque are accessible while using the SUV’s boost feature. The sprint to 62 mph comes in 4.6 seconds, while top speed is limited at 130 mph.

A 95-kwh lithium-ion battery pack allows the E-Tron Quattro to travel 311 miles on a single charge, while getting electricity back into the battery will take 50 minutes using a fast charger. Wireless charging via an in-ground charging plate is available with the concept while a large solar roof provides some electricity as well.

Actuated aerodynamic elements on the hood and on the vehicle’s flanks move to direct air differently at speeds over 49 mph to help improve aerodynamics. Matrix laser headlights are also seen on the concept, a technology Audi is developing for its production vehicles.

Finally, piloted driving technologies found on the concept include radar sensors, a video camera, ultrasonic sensors and a laser scanner. Using these, a computer puts together a complete model of the vehicle’s surroundings so that all of the assistance systems for piloted driving can access it. Audi says that this technology is production ready.

The Audi e-tron quattro concept should hit the market by early 2018.

This article originally appeared at AutoGuide.com

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Audi coined the e-tron name in 2009 for an electric concept car based on the R8 supercar, and apparently likes it so much all future battery electric vehicles will carry the name with no other letters or numbers attached.

The information comes from a recent interview that British car magazine Autocar had with Audi CEO Rupert Stadler.

“It is comparable to the first Audi quattro, which was known simply as the quattro. In the long term the name e-tron will stand for a pure electric driveline structure,” Stadler told the publication.

First up will be an e-tron SUV previewed at last year’s Frankfurt auto show (above photo), slated for a 2018 launch.

The pure electric SUV will be followed by an electric full-size sedan and a smaller SUV as part of Audi’s plan to have three EV offerings by 2020.

As with the quattro name, Sadler confirmed that the e-tron name would also appear in combination with the luxury automaker’s traditional model nomenclatures.

“We will have models with the usual names, for example A6 e-tron, A7 e-tron, A8 e-tron and so on,” he said.

Audi has already used the name on the A3 Sportback e-tron, Q7 e-tron gasoline electric plug-in hybrids (the latter not sold in the U.S.), as well as the recently cancelled R8 e-tron electric car.

SEE ALSO: More Being Revealed on Audi’s Sporty and Electrified Product Launches

Autocar reported that Sadler also provided the first official hint that Audi is working on an up-market electric powered sedan to challenge the Tesla Model S. He said, “I do believe that it makes sense for the Audi brand to be positioned in the top premium segment with this driveline technology.”

It’s likely that the e-tron lineup will use the Volkswagen Group’s MEB (Modular Electric Toolkit) platform, which made its first appearance in Volkswagen’s I.D. concept at the recent Paris Motor Show.

This aligns with Volkswagen Group’s announcement to offer dozens of electric vehicles in the coming years, as the company plans to move away from diesel and gasoline drivetrains in favor of environmentally friendly vehicles. And put the Dieselgate scandal behind them.

Autocar

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Audi has confirmed its all-electric e-tron quattro SUV will come to market next year with “300 miles” range, and possibly more.

Introduced as a pre-production concept at the Frankfurt Auto Show in 2015, the production version will be among the first premium all-electric SUVs, joining the Tesla Model X and the planned Jaguar I-Pace.

For its part, Audi says the luxury vehicle to be sized between a Q5 and Q7 will be “the first real premium manufacturer doing a premium electric SUV.”

Tesla has had quality control issues with its Model X “SUV,” which others describe as a crossover, but Audi appears to be nearly snubbing Tesla in not recognizing the fast X which is priced in the “premium” segment, and surely a competitor.

Interior from concept vehicle.

As for the e-tron’s “300 miles” range, Audi has not disclosed what test cycle this estimate is based upon, but it could well be the generous European NEDC cycle. This standard typically estimates higher – and unrealistic – range than the U.S. EPA cycle.

There is no formula to precisely estimate under EPA what the e-tron may deliver. If Audi is basing its claim on the NEDC, real-world range may be in the neighborhood of 250 miles assuming the battery is the same size as in the pre-production quattro, or 95 kWh.

Audi’s timing also benefits from what many believe will be continued investment in charging infrastructure both in Europe and the U.S.

“It’s not our job to invest in charging points. We are pushing and organizing this, though, and working with partners on it,” said sales and marketing chief Dietmar Voggenreiter to Autocar. “No cars, no infrastructure, but in the next two years there are lots of investments,”

Voggenreiter noted also that an SUV is important for the e-tron because it is the most on-trend body style.

“A lot of customers have been asking when we’ll bring this car to market,” he said. “There is certain demand in the premium segment and we’re not being first to market for the sake of it; it’s the right product. It’s a real SUV, with Audi design language.”

The all-wheel-drive e-tron SUV will likely have three motors — one in the front and two in the rear – and is to be built on the platform its corporate cousin Porsche is developing for the Mission E sedan.

To be produced in Belgium, it promises to indeed be high-tech, with typical Audi build quality.

Assuming it gets here in 2018, it will arrive in time for greater infrastructure and competitors in the works to to start fleshing out the electric SUV segment – even if Audi does not acknowledge Tesla as the “first” it says it will be.

Autocar via Inside EVs

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Jaguar recently gave a closer look at its battery-electric I-Pace concept it plans to debut in 2018 by setting it loose on the streets of London.

Introduced at the Los Angeles Auto Show last November, the I-Pace is Jaguar’s first all-electric vehicle and second crossover SUV, following the larger conventionally powered F-Pace.

“Driving the concept on the streets is really important for the design team,” said Jaguar director of design, Ian Callum. “It’s very special to put the car outside and in the real world. You can see the true value of the I-Pace’s dramatic silhouette and powerful proportions when you see it on the road, against other cars.”

If the I-Pace production SUV follows the concept, it will have a pair of synchronous permanent magnet electric motors, one integrated into each axle that will provide four-wheel drive that are paired with a single-speed epicyclic transmission.

Each motor produces 200 horsepower with a combined 516 pounds-feet of torque that Jaguar estimates can rip off a zero to 60 mph time in just 4 seconds for those in a hurry.

Power is stored in a liquid cooled 90 kilowatt-hour lithium battery that the automaker expects will have an EPA real world driving range of around 220 miles.

A 50 kilowatt direct current (DC) charging point can replenish the battery to 80 percent in 90 minutes and to 100 percent in just over two hours.

The London I-Pace SUV is very close in appearance to the concept shown in LA, and while it has a passing resemblance to the larger F-Pace the exterior styling is a dramatic departure from previous Jaguars, giving a hint at what to expect in the future.

It has a compact body and is fairly low to the ground for an SUV, but it still seats five while offering plenty of cargo space.

SEE ALSO: Jaguar Designer Talks About the I-Pace EV

A cab forward design with short and rear overhangs and short hood combine to maximize interior space for occupants, improve visibility and enhance driving dynamics.

Sweeping lines along the sides and a tapering waistline give the five-door SUV a coupe-like profile, leading to a sharply angled rear hatch window with a hydrophobic coating – so there’s no need for a rear wiper.

Tail-lights feature a ‘chicane line’ signature, a new Jaguar design element that replaces the more traditional E-Type round design.

Inside, materials are a mixture of Windsor leather, Alcantara, unvarnished walnut and carbon fiber. The roof is a full-length glass panel with embedded LEDs that illuminates at night.

The I-Pace introduces a new cockpit design direction based around three display screens. A 12-inch touchscreen dominates the dashboard with a 5-inch screen below it for infotainment and climate controls. Instruments are presented to the driver on a configurable 12-inch virtual cluster augmented by a color head-up display.

Gears are selected by buttons that are integrated into a floating center console that emphasizes the SUV’s flat floor and lack of transmission tunnel.

The I-Pace will take on Tesla’s Model X, the Audi e-Tron and a production version of the Mercedes Generation EQ concept shown at the Paris motor show last September.

From what’s known about the car so far, it appears that the Jaguar I-Pace has the potential to be a real contender in the luxury electric car space when it arrives in 2018.

Business Insider

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Audi wants an electric supercar, and the company would like to have it sooner rather than later.

The information comes from Peter Mertens, new to Audi and its head of technical development. Mertens told Car and Driver that “it is part of our plans.” He added that he wants to have that supercar in a hurry too.

“The question is, ‘Would I like to make it happen sooner?’ and the answer is, ‘Yes, of course,'” he said.

SEE MORE: Second-Gen Audi R8 e-tron EV Gets 280 Miles Range

Assuming it happens, it wouldn’t be Audi’s first shot at an electric supercar. The brand debuted the R8 e-tron in 2009 to much fanfare. But then the electric car, based on the R8, was quickly and quietly dropped. No production models left Audi control. The second try, based on the second-generation R8 saw fewer than 100 built and sold. That car, launched in 2016 had 456 horsepower and 679 pounds-feet of torque.

Audi is now creating e-tron models that aren’t just electrified versions of existing production cars. That makes it likely that a new super e-tron won’t be R8 based, but will be its own vehicle. An 800-volt system, double the voltage of lesser e-trons and similar to what Porsche is putting in the Mission-E is possible. Mertens said “800-volt puts a significant extra cost on the bill. We need to evaluate whether customers will be prepared to pay that. In segments like super sports cars, it will be yes, no doubt about it.”

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The second e-Tron model in Audi’s growing line of electric vehicles will be built at the brand’s Brussels factory, starting in 2019.

“With the decision on the Audi e-tron Sportback, we are showing that Audi takes the issue of electric mobility seriously,” said Dr. Hubert Waltl, head of logistics. “A second battery-electric model will lead to optimal capacity utilization at our plant in Brussels.”

The e-Tron Sportback will join the standard e-Tron in Audi’s EV lineup – an all-electric SUV set to start rolling out of the same factory in 2018.

First revealed at the Shanghai Motor Show in April, the e-Tron Sportback is a sleek grand coupe with four doors. The concept arrived with 430 hp (or up to 500 hp in boost mode) and, naturally, all-wheel drive.

With a low center of gravity, thanks to its low-mounted liquid cooled lithium-ion batteries and, the e-Tron Sportback concept was good for a 0-62 time of just 4.5 seconds. Along with the performance, Audi’s second EV was expected to go 310 miles on a charge.

The e-Tron (this is the SUV now), meanwhile, is being touted by Audi as the first real premium SUV powered exclusively by electricity, a claim that, along with a recent Berliner billboard, targets Tesla directly.

The e-Tron Sportback is the second of three electric cars Audi said it will produce by 2020.

A version of this story originally appeared on Fourtitude

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Audi has just released the fourth generation of the A8, with its AI traffic jam pilot and 48-volt electrical system – and a plug-in hybrid is to follow.

During a launch ceremony yesterday at the Audi Summit in Barcelona, the company said the full-size sedan has a “systematically electrified drive” and will be the first production volume car in the world to have been developed for “highly automated driving.”

Automated driving features would be considered Level 3 by SAE standards, and will provide a few convenient functions through a parking pilot, garage pilot, and traffic jam pilot. Along with parking itself, the traffic jam pilot can take control of the car during slow-moving traffic and speeds up to 60 km/h (37.3 mph).

The driver can push an AI button on the center console. The traffic jam pilot can do the driving and manage starting, accelerating, steering, and braking.

All variations of the 2018 A8 will have a belt alternator starter (BAS), which is central to its 48-volt electrical system. The 48-volt system powers a number of functions increasing fuel efficiency, including an extended start/stop function and an energy recovery output of up to 12 kW. This will add as much as 0.7 liters (0.2 gallons) per 100 kilometers (62.1 miles) in real driving conditions in fuel savings.

For the 2018 model year, the A8 will start by being first sold in the German market. Car buyers can choose one of two engine options, one powered by diesel and one by gasoline – a 3.0 TDI and a 3.0 TFSI.

As for power output, the diesel version develops 210 kW (286 horsepower), and the gasoline engine produces 250 kW (340 horsepower).

Two eight-cylinder versions of the A8 – a 4.0 TDI with 320 kW (435 horsepower) and a 4.0 TFSI with 338 kW (460 horsepower) – will come to market at a later time.

The Audi A8 L e-tron quattro plug-in hybrid will also follow at a later date, possibly in the 2019 model year. The German automaker said it will still have to find regulatory approval. It will be powered by a 3.0 TFSI engine and an electric motor that can, combined, produce 330 kW (449 horsepower) of system power and 700 Nm (516.3 pounds-feet) of system torque.

SEE ALSO:  Next Audi S8 to Get Hybrid Power?

Audi said it will be able to go about 50 kilometers (31.1 mi) on lithium-ion battery power. That’s most likely based on Europe’s NEDC range standard, and it would be less when being rated in the U.S. under the Environmental Protection Agency’s standard.

It will be able to be charged by Audi Wireless Charging. Just drive the A8 sedan over a pad where power inductively transfers through a receiver coil in the car.

Other features on the fourth generation A8 being promoted by Audi include a 10.1-inch dashboard touch screen display that blends into the surrounding panel; a stylistically defined exterior and “luxury lounge” interior; and a new suspension based on all-wheel steering offering sporty steering combined with stability.

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Audi has announced a new, standardized nomenclature for its cars.

It’s always a bit jarring when automakers decide to change how their models are named, but sometimes it turns out for the better. Audi is hoping its latest move will make sense once it starts rolling out, since badges such as 2.0 TFSI will be replaced by something more obscure, like 30 TFSI. The names for the model series – A4, A5, A6, etc. – aren’t changing; it’s the power output designations that are getting overhauled.

According to the German automaker, the move is being done because “engine displacement as a performance attribute is becoming less important to our customers.” In addition, the current designations doesn’t work very well for the future electrified models so Audi will be using two-numeral combinations.

The number combinations identifying the performance levels will increase in increments of five and each one represents a power output range. For example, “30” will appear on models with power output between 81 kW (110 horsepower) and 96 kW (129 horsepower). Engines producing between 227 and 248 horsepower will have a “45” badge, while slightly more powerful cars will have “50” and “55” badges. The top of the range will be identified by “70” and that represents models with over 400 kW (536 horsepower). For each model, the numbers will be followed by the engine technology: TFSI, TDI, g-tron or e-tron.

The changes will start with the new Audi A8 launching this fall with the Audi A8 50 TDI and Audi A8 55 TFSI.

You can view the move as being made due to the perception that larger numbers are better. Compared to competitor Mercedes-Benz, which uses a somewhat similar naming convention, an Audi 2.0 TFSI doesn’t sound as impressive as the CLA 45 for example, even though both cars are powered by 2.0-liter engines.

This article originally appeared at AutoGuide.com

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The Audi e-tron SUV prototype has been previewed at the 2018 Geneva Motor Show, giving us more insight into Audi’s battery electric vehicle ambitions.

The e-tron prototype is described as a “sporty SUV,” that “combines the space and comfort of a typical luxury car with a range suitable for everyday use,” Audi says. It has received a secret-concealing camouflage wrap for Geneva, which is meant to evoke the “high voltage drive system,” and battery technology hidden beneath the bodywork.  All e-tron SUVs will come with all-wheel drive, suggesting each axle will receive at least one electric motor. At 150 kW charging outposts, the vehicle will fill its battery in just under 30 minutes, Audi says. It will launch in the European market before the end of the year.

Audi says the e-tron SUV will be joined by two other EVs by 2020: the production version of the e-tron Sportback concept and a new compact model. In a statement, Audi CEO Rupert Stadler said the company “will be launching more than 20 electric cars and plug-in hybrids by 2025 – spread across all segments and concepts.”

Prototypes similar to the vehicle pictured here will be running around all year, putting on test miles in preparation for its arrival in Audi dealers early next year. Stay tuned for more information on the pure electric SUV as it becomes available.

A version of this story originally appeared on AutoGuide.com.

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Audi has announced a plan to sell 800,000 battery-electric and hybrid vehicles by 2025, intensifying the electrification arms race between Tesla and other emerging automakers.

Announced at AUDI AGS annual meeting as part of its “Audi.Vorsprung.2025.” (“Audi Advancement”) campaign, the brand revealed the number as part of its roadmap, with most of the vehicles to be all-electric.

“Our ambition has always been and will continue to be Vorsprung durch Technik,” says Rupert Stadler, board chairman. Vorsprung durch Technik translates into “Advancement through Technology.”

ALSO SEE: Audi E-Tron to Offer 150 KwH DC Fast Charging, 250 Miles of Range

“Our goal is to revolutionize mobility. Also in electric mobility, we want to become the Number 1 among the premium manufacturers – with full suitability for everyday use, no compromises, top quality and driving pleasure for the customer,” he added. “With our technological excellence, we are utilizing our Vorsprung and lifting electric mobility to the next level.”

The 800,000 milestone also joins the German automaker’s goal to introduce more than 20 electrified vehicles to the market by 2025 using Volkswagens new MEB molder platform, an increase over a previously announced 20 vehicle target.

Also, it elaborated upon its “Action and Transformation” plan, which sought to reevaluate organization cost structure, new business models and reinvest money into e-mobility and self-driving in a bd to increase profitability and market share.

At the moment, Audi sells three plug-in hybrids, with approximately 16,000 hybrid vehicles sold in 2017. This year, it will launch the E-Tron, its first ever all-electric SUV, followed by the e-Tron Sportback in 2019 and the e-Tron GT in 2020.

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Audi had planned to show its new electric SUV at a glitzy event in Belgium at the end of August, but it’s now been rescheduled following the arrest of its CEO Rupert Stadler.

According to Automotive News, Audi had already invited journalists to the August 30 event, where it planned to show off its first mass-produced electric vehicle – the e-tron SUV.  The automaker sent out an email Monday saying the event had been called off, citing “organizational reasons.” It will instead hold the event at a later date somewhere in the United States.

While not confirmed by Audi, it’s believed the cancellation of the event is related to the brand’s image in Europe following Stadler being taken into custody for reasons related to VW Group’s ongoing ‘Dieselgate’ scandal.

Audi said the postponement of the debut event won’t result in the e-tron coming to market any later than anticipated.

“The e-tron will have its market launch at the end of the year,” an Audi spokesperson said in a statement. “Nothing has changed.”

SEE ALSO: Tuners Turn Audi RS3 into a 1,183-HP EV

While Audi will still get its electric SUV to market in time, that doesn’t mean it won’t lose out in some way. Mercedes-Benz is will show off its first purpose-built electric offering, the EQC crossover, on September 4th. Audi’s rescheduled event in the US is slated to happen after the Mercedes showing, so its German rivals will be first to show off their answer to the Tesla Model X.

The Audi e-tron will feature all-wheel drive as standard, the automaker has confirmed, with all versions featuring two electric motors mounted at each axle. A performance-oriented three-motor version will also eventually arrive, but won’t be available from launch. The crossover will also come with standard 150 kWh DC fast charging, capable of charging the battery from flat to 80% capacity in about 30 minutes. Range for the standard two-motor version is anticipated to sit at around 250 miles. Pricing in Europe starts at 80,000 euros.

We’ll have full details on the Audi e-tron SUV following its rescheduled US debut – whenever that takes place.

[Source: Automotive News]

A version of this story originally appeared on AutoGuide.com.

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