ENERGY CONVERTER

If a driver was to spot an electric vehicle charging station in the desert, chances are they’ve been duped by a mirage. As such, the RS Q e-tron needs to keep its battery topped up to complete 600 miles per day. That explains the low-pitched purr the car often makes. Audi has revitalised the range-extender concept for its off-road mission, meaning the

RS Q e-tron houses a two-litre turbocharged TSFI four-cylinder engine developed for use in the DTM in 2019 and 2020.

The combustion engine is coupled via a shaft to another

Formula E MGU. The petrol motor works as an onboard generator to spin the MGU to produce electricity, which recharges the battery at up to 220kw. It never drives the wheels. Because efficiency is the name of the game, the TSFI unit spins at an optimal 4500-6000rpm to produce under 200 grams per kwh. In other words, a conventionally powered Dakar car needs a 600-litre fuel tank. The RS Q e-tron makes do with half that.