The E-Tron GT is without a shadow of a doubt one of the most important EV launches of the year. Even though the Porsche Taycan’s sister model entered production back in December 2020, the hotly anticipated electric sedan hasn’t been actually revealed yet. In the lead up to its February 9 world premiere, the Four Rings have dropped a new teaser video shot straight on the assembly line.
Audi’s most powerful electric car ever is being put together at the Böllinger Höfe factory where the naturally aspirated R8 supercar has been in production since 2014. The new two-minute clip reinforces our impression the E-Tron GT will look nearly the same as the namesake concept car unveiled in November 2018 at the Los Angeles Auto Show.
Produced in a carbon-neutral environment at the Neckarsulm site, the E-Tron GT will spawn a high-performance RS version in the same vein as the higher-specification Taycan models. Unlike all of the other E-Tron offerings from Audi, the GT is the first vehicle to be developed from the ground up as an EV.
Full technical specifications have not been disclosed, but we’re expecting they’ll closely mirror those of the Taycan. That being said, the E-Tron GT will be more affordable than its cousin from Zuffenhausen, therefore it’s unlikely to pack the same punch. Nevertheless, it should be enough to give Tesla and other EV manufacturers some healthy competition.
From the little specs released by Audi, we know the 2022 E-Tron GT will have Quattro all-wheel drive with torque vectoring and all-wheel steering. Expect dual electric motors and a liquid-cooled 83.7-kWh lithium-ion battery pack, while a two-speed rear transmission is also planned. From what we’re hearing, the flagship RS will have an estimated 590 horsepower with a temporary 637-hp output when launch control is activated.
The crown jewel of the E-Tron GT range will reportedly take an estimated three seconds to hit 60 mph from a standstill and top out at an electronically capped 155 mph. As for the entry-level trim, it’s said to have 510 horsepower or a little bit less than the Porsche Taycan 4S, but that’s to be expected given the positioning of the two brands in the Volkswagen Group.
With production already underway, Audi will open the order books shortly after the E-Tron GT’s big debut next week and it probably won’t take too long before customer deliveries will commence. The electric sedan has been subjected to a lengthy teaser campaign, which goes to show how important the zero-emissions gran tourer is for the company.
Source: Audi
