Q&A WITH DR GÜNTHER MENDL

We talked electrical traction with Audi’s head of development for E-traction/ high-voltage systems

CAR: Has Audi been watching any other players in the EV market, such as Tesla?

GM: Tesla has certainly had a huge impact on both the technology and people’s perceptions of electric vehicles, so we studied the nature of its battery chemistry and set that as a sort of benchmark for our E-tron powertrains. Even so, we’re con dent we’ve equalled, if not surpassed, Tesla in terms of battery technology. What aspects of the E-tron will reduce consumers’ concerns regarding safety and range anxiety? From a safety aspect, the battery array’s “box in a box” cell con guration, where each module has its own compartment, distributes crash forces to lessen the chance of cellrupture re. It also needs to be noted 90% of normal braking behaviour will recuperate up to 30% of the energy in the E-tron, while a growing battery-charger network and various options for home charging [see Charging

choices on page 29] will mean you’ll start every day with a full battery. The cost of battery replacement has often discouraged buyers from going the EV route. How long does the E-tron’s battery last? We’ve paid a great deal of attention to the thermal ef ciency of our battery packs, keeping them operating at an optimal temperature and therefore improving longevity. Basically, the battery is designed to last the life of the vehicle. Audi’s EV plans (see The road ahead on page 28) are ambitious. What sort of momentum will be carried over from the E-tron’s launch? While we are excited about E-tron’s release, development work on its 2021 stablemates is under way. Audi projects EVS will constitute 30% of the company’s global sales, so we can’t just stand back and be left behind.