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Audi e-tron concept photos

Audi unveiled an electric sports car concept at the 2009 Frankfurt auto show, the e-tron. With proportions similar to the Audi R8, the e-tron delivers blistering acceleration from the use of four motors, according to Audi.

Wayne Cunningham
Wayne Cunningham reviews cars and writes about automotive technology for CNET's Roadshow. Prior to the automotive beat, he covered spyware, Web building technologies, and computer hardware. He began covering technology and the Web in 1994 as an editor of The Net magazine.
Wayne Cunningham
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Audi enters the electric car business not with a whisper, but with a roar. The e-tron delivers sports car performance with four electric motors, able to drive each wheel individually, mimicking the Quattro all-wheel-drive system used on its production cars.
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The e-tron is fitted with LED headlamps, used for greater energy efficiency than traditional lighting and more flexibility in the light field. These lights can be intelligently adjusted for fog or rain, and will automatically change to low-beam mode for oncoming traffic.
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The lithium ion battery pack is mounted behind the cabin, giving a weight balance of 58 percent rear to 42 percent front. The battery pack gives the four traction motors enough power to get to 62 mph in 4.8 seconds, and run for a range of 154 miles. The motors deliver a combined 313 horsepower, and an astounding 3,319 pound-feet of torque.
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Each traction motor drives its own wheel, and each can be minutely adjusted, providing braking or acceleration power, to improve road-holding. this torque vectoring goes beyond what is currently possible with conventional all-wheel-drive systems. The motors also offer braking regeneration, sending electricity back to the battery.
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The e-tron's power system automatically puts 70 percent of torque to the rear wheels and 30 percent to the front, compensating for the greater weight distribution to the rear. As conditions dictate, torque can be increased or decreased at each wheel.
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Befitting a concept, the cabin uses a futuristic design, such as cameras and screens instead of rearview mirrors. Because of the electric power train, the instrument cluster is simplified, with analog speedometer, analog power consumption, and a screen that can show a variety of information.

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