Plug-in electric cars are about to get a much needed mainstream boost, if these sketches from Audi are anything to go by.
This Audi e-tron quattro concept is destined for a real reveal at the huge Frankfurt motorshow in mid-September, and promises the kind of halo moment that will propel the relatively small use plug-in technology firmly into the mainstream.
The Audi e-tron quattro is being lined up to rival the Tesla Model X – itself destined for an autumn release – with a potential range of more than 310 miles.
That's the kind of pleasing number sure to quash potential customers' range anxiety and make plug-ins start to seem like a real, viable alternative to hybrids or even regular fuel burners.
Designed from the ground up, the e-tron quattro concept uses Audi's 'Aerothetics' parameters, that unite technical measures for reducing aerodynamic drag with neat creative solutions.
Happily, in real terms this means that there's lots of super cool moveable aero devices on the car such as a sliding rear spoiler and diffuser that, along with the completely closed underbody, improve the airflow around the car, helping it to achieve that impressive mile range.
The same drive system is used as on the Audi R8 e-tron, with three electric motors – one on the front axle and two on the rear.
Throughout our lifetimes there's been key halo moments for a technology that's pushed it firmly into the norm.
Usually these sorts of things have taken the Cupertino crew's attentions to achieve, but until the Apple Car becomes a reality (in say 5-to-10 years time), it's going to take one of the existing big car players to get electric tech onto the everyman driveway.
Audi has exactly the right might and customer power to get it done. Watch this space.
