Audi And Porsche Plan Electric Cars  

The recent diatribe against electric cars by Audi's North American head doesn't seem to have been entirely reciprocated by head office in Germany, with the company demonstrating an electric car at the Frankfurt motor show. The SMH has a report - Audi e-Tron: all-electric supercar unveiled.

Audi has unveiled a futuristic, all-electric supercar that draws inspiration from the most unlikely pair of sources - mobile phones and electric toothbrushes. The Audi R8-based e-Tron, as the all-electric concept car unveiled at Frankfurt motor show today is known, also provides a stunning glimpse at Audi's future car-making direction, relying on purely electric drivetrains and lightweight construction. ...

The car's top speed is electronically limited to 200km/h, while regenerative braking will feed power back into the system, again in the interests of preserving range. Other energy-saving measures include using LED lighting technology for everything, including the headlights. Audi says the e-tron's headlights will be able to adapt to any driving situation, even recognising rain or fog and adjusting the headlights' intensity to suit. ...

Audi says the e-tron will also be in touch with its environment, using a wireless communication system to help its driver negotiate the city. The "car-to-X" system, as Audi calls it, will feed traffic flow information as well as information from traffic light systems to provide the driver with an optimal driving method. It will also be able to interact with car parks, telling the driver if a space is available and reserving it for the car even before the e-tron noses into the driveway.

Newly appointed Porsche boss Michael Macht says the German sports car specialist is working on an electric sports car and will expand its suite of petrol-electric hybrid cars to include the iconic 911.
Speaking at the 2009 Frankfurt motor show, Mr Macht confirmed the company was working on an electric car. “I am also convinced that one day Porsche will have an electric sports car in its line-up,” he said. “Since this trend towards electric power is unstoppable, our engineers are already working hard on this challenge.”

As with other car makers, Porsche is working on hybrid technology as a stepping stone to a full electric car. Porsche will have a hybrid version of the Cayenne off-roader on sale in 2010 (there was a Cayenne Hybrid prototype on display at the Frankfurt motor show) closely followed by a hybrid version of the four-door, four-seat Panamera sports car.