Innovation has always been at Audi’s core and it continues to drive the brand to be one of the undisputed leaders in the car world, delivering avant-garde design, automotive luxury and ultimate performance.
When it comes to electric mobility, Audi had anticipated the trend — the early Audi e-tron concept cars go as far back as 2009. Slightly less than a decade later, the Audi e-tron officially went into production as part of the brand’s quest to be a leader in electric mobility.
“We believe that the future is electric. And our aim is to provide premium automotive solutions to meet that challenge head on,” says Markus Schuster, Managing Director for Audi Singapore, at the launch of the Audi e-tron GT, Audi’s first fully electric sports car, in September 2021.
Audi’s vision goes hand in hand with Singapore’s electric vehicle (EV) initiatives. The city state has had electrification in the pipeline since 1994 when the idea of replacing petrol and diesel vehicles was initially explored in parliament.
This came into fruition when the first multi-agency EV taskforce was set up in 2009 to assess feasibility of EV adoption in the country. Singapore’s pioneering spirit paid off and in 2011, it became one of the first cities in the world to test EVs at the systems level as the nation continued to work towards its EV goals.
In 2021, the government launched the Singapore Green Plan 2030 which aims to build 60,000 EV charging points and will require all newly-registered cars to be of cleaner energy models by 2030. The National Electric Vehicle Centre (NEVC) was set up under the Land Transport Authority (LTA) to complement the Green Plan and ramp up efforts for EV adoption in the country. The government also set aside S$30 million in the next five years for projects and initiatives that support electrification.
In Singapore’s Budget 2022, more inroads were made — the government intends to phase out internal combustion vehicles by 2040, meaning all cars that run on petrol or diesel could be scrapped and drivers have to eventually have to go electric.
Whether you are thinking about making the switch now or later, EVs are here to stay. Familiarise yourself with our list of the various Audi e-tron models that are currently available in Singapore.
In 2018, the Audi e-tron was introduced and its array of innovative new technologies and forward-thinking design allowed the Audi e-tron to become an electrifying example of what the next generation of cars will be like.
The debut model seamlessly blended the luxury of a premium SUV with the efficient performance of an electric all-wheel drive. It has a spacious cabin with boot space of up to 1,725 litres (with the second-row seats folded down) and a good range of over 400 km. For driving within Singapore, a single charge is enough to last an average driver an entire week, and it only takes about 30 minutes to charge the car to 80% with fast charging. The optional virtual side mirrors also became a popular talking point for not only reducing drag but for taking digitalisation to a new level.
The Audi e-tron was given the coupé treatment with the Audi e-tron Sportback model which launched in 2021. Under the hood, both models run on the same 71 kWh lithium-ion battery and Audi quattro electric all-wheel drive. The key difference is in the exterior design — while its predecessor has conventional SUV dimensions, the Audi e-tron Sportback features a gentle sloping coupé-like roof line that exudes sporty elegance.
The Audi e-tron GT propelled Audi’s all-electric range into serious high-performance territory and proved that performance need not be sacrificed. The Audi e-tron GT has some of Audi’s most progressive technologies, from its performance to its emotive design. Audi’s first ever all-electric gran turismo has an electrical torque output of 630 Nm (the Audi e-tron has 540 Nm) and uses electrified quattro technology allowing it to accelerate from 0 to 100km/h in 4.1 seconds and reach a top speed of 245km/h. It also has a more powerful 93.4kWh battery that gives about 479 km driving range at full charge.
And if that wasn’t exhilarating enough, it is also available in RS version. The Audi RS e-tron GT impresses with an electrical torque output of 830 Nm, 3.3 second acceleration from 0 to 100km/h, and a top speed of 250km/h.
The latest in Audi’s fleet of all-electric vehicles is the Audi e-tron S Sportback which launched in early 2022. The S Line version of the well-loved crossover coupé gives it a more luxurious feel with the Audi S Line trim. It also gives higher performance with three electric motors — an upgrade from the previous two — with two operating the rear axle. Together, these provide 370 kW of boost power and 973 Nm of torque. In addition to its electric all-wheel drive, it is equipped with electric torque vectoring with active and fully variable torque distribution on the rear axle allowing for more dynamic handling.
With electric mobility set to become a global standard in the coming years, Audi is constantly working on new Audi e-tron models to extend its EV fleet. Future models will not only address the growing needs of motorists, but will also deliver on the premium luxury and peak performance that is distinctly Audi.
In fact, the Audi A6 Avant e-tron concept model which debuted in March 2022 further reiterates the brand’s innovation in pioneering drive technology and luxurious design. The latest concept model has a powerful 800 volt technology, 270 kW of charging capacity, and a range of up to 700 km. It is positioned to be the go-to electric luxury family car.