Audi e-tron GT: Synthesis of style and sustainability

PHOTO: Audi e-tron GT is named Most Beautiful Car of the Year in Germany’s 2021 Golden Steering Wheel awards, and is cited for best design innovation in the 2021 Autonis awards.

Fully electric grand tourer, along with e-tron SUV and RS e-tron GT, brings clean energy to premium segment in PH.

The model recognized as the best designed among vehicles launched in 2021 is also one of the cleanest, thanks to a powertrain running on new energy and to sustainable practices used during its manufacturing process. 

Named as Most Beautiful Car of the Year in Germany’s 2021 Golden Steering Wheel awards, and cited for best design innovation in the luxury class in the 2021 Autonis awards, is the fully electric Audi e-tron GT. The model, together with the Audi e-tron SUV and the flagship RS e-tron GT, arrives in the country this month as Audi Philippines ushers in sustainable electromobility in line with its drive toward cleaner transport solutions.

The four-door Audi e-tron GT grand tourer combines emotional design with a fully electric, zero-emission power plant that propels an electric quattro all-wheel drive system. With an output of 476 PS and 630 Nm (and as much as 530 PS in overboost), the model illustrates how exciting electric-powered mobility can be.

“In its design, the e-tron GT emphasizes our claim as an automotive design brand. With its impressive performance, it offers the most emotional kind of electromobility. And with its sustainable concept, it expresses an attitude,” said Markus Duesmann, CEO of Audi AG.

Exceptional e-tron range

Like the Audi e-tron GT, the e-tron SUV and RS e-tron GT can travel more than 400 kilometers when fully charged. The e-tron SUV, whose two electric motors send 408 PS and 664 Nm to a quattro system, offers the space, comfort and utility of a full-size sport-utility vehicle. It also carries a five-star safety rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Euro NCAP, and is also named a Top Safety Pick+ by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. 

The RS e-tron GT, also with two electric motors powering a quattro system, delivers 598 PS and 830 Nm (or a maximum output of 646 PS in overboost). This makes the RS e-tron GT the most powerful production model Audi has ever made.

Carbon neutral credentials

The e-tron GT, along with all models in the fully electric Audi e-tron range, is built via completely carbon-neutral processes. Audi has accelerated its transition toward becoming a provider of networked and sustainable premium mobility, and forming a part of this initiative is transforming its manufacturing facilities to operate on 100% eco-electricity.

Audi is also systematically continuing its carbon reduction program and has already cut emissions of parts it uses for e-tron models during production. The company is saving materials and lessening energy consumption in its supply chain and production processes — especially for energy-intensive components like the e-tron models’ lithium-ion batteries. The use of materials like aluminum has been made more sustainable through an “Aluminum Closed Loop” system, which has allowed Audi’s press plant to cut about 165,000 tons of carbon emissions per year.

One product of the Aluminum Closed Loop system are the 20-inch wheels fitted on certain e-tron models. The aluminum used to make the wheels come from an innovative smelting process that emits oxygen instead of carbon dioxide.

Offered as an option to the e-tron models are leather-free packages. The vehicles’ seats are upholstered either with a combination of artificial leather and Kaskade, or with a mixture of artificial leather and Dinamica. Both Kaskade and Dinamica are made of polyester fibers sourced from plastic bottles, textiles, or residual fibers from selvages. Also available to e-tron models are carpets and mats made from Econyl, a nylon fiber weave derived from surplus fabrics and carpets, and even fishing nets.

With the e-tron GT — as well as the e-tron SUV and RS e-tron GT — Audi Philippines is undoubtedly bringing into the country fully electric models that fuse style with sustainability, in the process redefining luxury.