Speaking at the recent Formula E Berlin e-Prix, Audi’s head of development, Peter Mertens, outlined the brand’s plans for its electric vehicles, which include an electric supercar and performance versions of the upcoming e-tron models.
“You can very well imagine that at some point we will have an electric supercar,” Mertens told Car and Driver. “The question is, ‘Would I like to make it happen sooner?’ and the answer is, ‘Yes, of course.’ It is part of our plan.”
Mertens also suggested that an electric supercar would be a great opportunity to introduce an 800-volt charging system, like the one planned for Porsche’s Mission E concept.
“800-volt puts a significant extra cost on the bill. We need to evaluate whether customers will be prepared to pay that,” Mertens told Car and Driver. “In segments like super sports cars, it will be yes, no doubt about it.”
Performance versions of more affordable electric cars were also of interest to Mertens, who said that S and RS versions of e-tron models were on the horizon.
Audi’s last electric supercar, the R8 e-tron suffered a difficult gestation. Canceled once during planning, and then again 19 months after sales started, the short-lived electric R8 was RWD-only and fewer than 100 of the million dollar cars were sold.
Mertens’ latest comments suggest that future attempts at electric speed will come from dedicated electric cars, rather than retrofitted internal combustion cars.
[source: Car and Driver]
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