Detroit showcar Audi e-tron 2WD electric concept vehicle

Audi is showing an uncompromising purist compact sports car with all-electric drive at the first major auto show of 2010. The Detroit showcar Audi e-tron is the name of this 3.93 meter (154.72 in) long and 1.78 meter (70.08 in) wide but just 1.22 meter (48.03 in) tall two-seater; just a few months after the debut of the Audi e-tron at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show, this is now the second electric concept vehicle from the brand with the four rings.

Coupled with the Detroit showcar Audi e-tron’s low gross weight of around only 1,350 kilograms (2976.24 lb), Audi have reduced the e-tron from All Wheel Drive to Rear Wheel drive only. The Detroit concept car runs two electric motors with a combined output of 150 kW (204 hp) and 2,650 Nm (1954.54 lb-ft) at the wheels. Audi are sticking to their non-industry standard of announcing torque at the wheels as opposed to industry standard that quotes torque at the motor shaft. The e-tron coupe with ASF-design aluminum body can accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h (62.14 mph) in just 5.9 seconds. The Audi e-tron accomplishes the sprint from 60 to 120 km/h (37.28 - 74.56 mph) in a mere 5.1 seconds.

The new e-tron is arguably better looking than a Tesla Roadster but with the Tesla Sport having 3,308 Nm (at the wheels) and a 0-60 time of 3.7 seconds, almost a full 2 seconds faster than the e-tron, the Ingolstadt engineers need to get to work on the electric motors if they are to be truly competitive.