2021 Audi e-tron GT Sedan. 1st generation
The Audi e-tron GT is an electric Gran Turismo sedan, which has been produced since 2021. It took the manufacturer more than two years to transform the concept car, which became the star of the 2018 Los Angeles Auto Show, into a production car. Audi immodestly calls the premiere of the electric sedan the beginning of a new era in the brand’s history and considers the Audi e-tron GT “a true masterpiece of electrification”, stating that this “car combines comfort and driving dynamics in the iconic design of Gran Turismo”.
The new Audi e-tron GT is Audi’s first mass-produced electric sedan, the first ‘green’ car, which has a superpowerful RS version. It belongs to the e-Tron electric family along with the Audi e-Tron electric SUV and its coupe-like brother, the e-tron Sportback. Israeli buyers can currently purchase the first generation Audi e-tron GT, which we will discuss in our review.
The electric sedan moves smoothly and quietly, while the powerful electric drive offers amazing dynamics and confident overtaking. The standard quattro drive ensures optimum power distribution: two permanent magnet synchronous motors electronically direct torque to all four wheels.
Exterior
The new Audi e-tron GT is built on the J1 platform, shared with the Porsche Taycan, which is unified with the Porsche Panamera’s chassis elements. Therefore, they have similar components and assemblies. The sedan is 4,989 mm long, 1,964 mm wide and 1,414 mm high, and has a wheelbase of 2,900 mm. The trunk volume reaches 405 liters. The front trunk holds only 85 liters. You can choose between 19-, 20- or 21-inch wheels.
The 2021/2022 Audi e-tron GT sedan features a sloping roof silhouette, a short tail, four frameless doors and a small trunk lid. It has pretty good aerodynamics: the drag coefficient is 0.24. The car comes with active air flaps for cooling the brakes. The top-end version offers matrix-laser optics, where the laser beam operates in the high-beam mode at a speed of more than 70 km/h (under certain conditions). The entry-level version offers conventional LED or matrix headlights.
Interior
The sedan’s seats are finished with a combination of faux leather and a special Kaskade material (obtained after recycling plastic bottles and old textiles, similar to wool); faux leather and Dinamica microfiber or two types of genuine leather. Unlike the e-tron SUV, the sedan has an absolutely traditional push-button climate control panel (the SUV has a fully touch-sensitive center console). The car features a 12.3-inch virtual panel, a 10.1-inch media system touchscreen, and a projection screen.
The entry-level version can accelerate to 100 km/h in 4.1 seconds, and the maximum speed is 245 km/h
The 2021 Audi e-Tron GT comes standard with adaptive cruise control, remote-controlled parking system and matrix LED headlights. There is a system that gives an electric car a synthesized ‘voice’, similar to the sound of cars with internal combustion engines, which is standard for the RS version. As an option, you can order carbon-ceramic brakes, full-steering chassis, air suspension and an electronically controlled rear differential (this is standard equipment for the RS version).
Powertrains and modifications
The new electric sedan is powered by two electric motors, four-wheel drive and a 93 kWh battery. As mentioned above, for a surcharge, it can be equipped with carbon-ceramic brakes and a fully steerable chassis. The rear wheels can be deflected through a modest angle of up to 2.8 degrees, while at speeds up to 70 km/h they turn in the opposite direction with the front wheels, improving maneuverability, and after 80 km/h they turn in the same direction, increasing stability. The sedan has an 800-volt electrical system that promises fast battery charging. From a DC station with a maximum power of 270 kW and a voltage of 800 volts, you can recharge your car for 100 km in 5 minutes. It is clear that the full charge takes much longer, from 25 minutes.
Israeli buyers can purchase a basic modification of the 2021/2022 Audi e-tron GT with a 238 hp front engine, 435 hp rear motor and rear two-stage speed reducer. However, it is impossible to simply combine these two indicators: the total power is limited by the electronics, which can smoothly vary the load of both motors. As a result, the maximum output is 476 hp and 630 Nm in standard mode. But if you activate the launch control, the output will grow to 530 hp and 640 Nm in 2.5 seconds. The basic version can accelerate to 100 km/h in 4.1 seconds, developing a top speed of 245 km/h. Standard equipment includes an adaptive spring suspension and a self-locking rear differential. The declared drive range reaches 488 km (WLTP cycle).
