Audi’s electric super sedan based on the Porsche Taycan’s platform has been spotted in prototype form.
The car is the production version of 2018’s E-Tron GT concept, and we’ll see it on sale in 2021 likely as a 2022 model. A debut later this year is likely.
The original E-Tron GT concept had a low-slung, sexy look. It’s no surprise that the designers have faithfully transferred the concept’s lines over to the production version. It’s something Audi design chief Mark Lichte pretty much confirmed at the concept’s debut.
Audi e-tron GT concept
Audi e-tron GT concept
Audi e-tron GT concept
The prototype sports the same squinty headlights, a similar grille shape (which Audi refers to as a “sensor array” since a grille isn’t needed for an electric car), and the same taillights that span the width of the car.
Under the striking exterior sits a high-performance EV platform referred to internally as the J1. The E-Tron GT is expected to adopt the biggest battery designed for the platform, a 96-kilowatt-hour unit, and an electric motor at each axle. The J1 platform’s fast-charging capability will mean E-Tron GT owners will be able to charge the battery to 80% in about 20 minutes. The EPA-rated range will likely be somewhere around the 200-mile mark.
The Audi should also adopt the Taycan’s 2-speed transmission to ensure it can travel efficiently at the high speeds required on Germany’s Autobahn network. That’s not to say the E-tron GT will simply be a rebadged Taycan. The two cars will share just one exterior part: a windshield.
2020 Porsche Taycan 4S
And so that it doesn’t step on the toes of its Porsche sibling, expect the E-Tron GT to have a peak output of about 590 horsepower, positioning it somewhere between the Taycan 4S and Taycan Turbo. A more potent E-Tron GT Performance is also a possibility at some point.
Production of the E-Tron GT will be handled at the specialist Böllinger Höfe plant near Audi’s main plant in Neckarsulm, Germany. It’s where the automaker currently builds the R8 supercar.
Stay tuned for updates as development continues.
