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Lightweighting Key to Future Audi EVs
Like most carmakers, Volkswagen AG's Audi unit is working on next-generation electric vehicles that can travel 300 miles or more between charges.
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Like most carmakers, Volkswagen AG's Audi unit is working on next-generation electric vehicles that can travel 300 miles or more between charges. But Audi emphasizes that lighter vehicles are just as important as improved battery technology in extending driving range.
Thus the company is looking at a mix of high-strength steel, aluminum, carbon fiber and other lightweight materials to offset the added weight of an EV's battery pack, an unnamed Audi engineering executive tells Autocar. He says combining the materials will require new technical expertise and cost-efficient manufacturing processes.
Audi plans to launch a new all-electric crossover vehicle in 2018. The car will be based on the e-tron concept model unveiled by the company at last month's Frankfurt auto show. That vehicle had an estimated range of 310 miles.
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