Audi Sport’s ‘e-tron on track’ showcases five electric models

Audi was among pioneers in 2012 when it began electrifying its drivetrains in racing.

The Audi R18 e-tron quattro from Le Mans, the Formula E race car e-tron FE07, the Dakar Rally prototype RS Q e-tron and the two show cars e-tron Vision Gran Turismo and S1 e-tron quattro Hoonitron gathered recently for the first time at Audi Sport’s “e-tron on track” event in Neuburg, Germany.

Nine-times Le Mans winner Tom Kristensen met three Audi drivers – Mattias Ekstrom, Stephane Peterhansel and Carlos Sainz – from the Dakar program to experience progress made.

Eleven years ago Audi celebrated the first victory with a hybrid drive in the Le Mans 24 Hours with the R18 e-tron quattro and titles in the FIA World Endurance Championship WEC.

“After Audi had already demonstrated its pioneering spirit with the quattro in rallying in the eighties, Le Mans was later a first-class technology laboratory,” says Audi Motorsport head Rolf Michl.

“That’s where the story of our alternative powertrains began, which continues to set new milestones to this day.

“We inspire millions of fans with them and show worldwide how attractive and effective electric drives are.”

Audi won three times in succession with the R18 e-tron quattro hybrid sports car at Le Mans from 2012 to 2014.

In total, Audi even wrote its name into the list of winners of the world’s most important endurance race 13 times.

“The R18 was a strongly driver-oriented, very aggressive car. You always got good feedback up to the limit,” Kristensen recalls.

“It was the most complex car I’ve ever driven.”

At “e-tron on track”, the LMP1 race car came back to life.

As the most successful participant from 100 years of Le Mans history, Kristensen explained his former race car to 14-time Dakar winner Stephane Peterhansel.

His drive in Neuburg was an awakening for the 58-year-old desert expert, adding the concept shows electric drive pays off.

Team-mate Carlos Sainz, 60, two-time World Rally Champion and three-time Dakar winner, started in the most powerful car of the quintet – the Audi e-tron Vision Gran Turismo developed five years ago as a “race cab” for guests in the ABB FIA Formula E Championship.

“Once you’ve had the chance to try out such a powerful electric car, you only want to drive powertrains like that.”

For Formula E itself, the Audi e-tron FE07 was created for the 2020/21 season. The battery electric race car marked the next step in Audi’s motorsport strategy.

Mattias Ekstrom, familiar with powerful race cars as a two-time DTM champion and former rallycross world champion, chose the Audi S1 e-tron quattro Hoonitron for “e-tron on track”.

Legendary drifter the late Ken Block thrilled millions of viewers in the Electrikhana video with the spectacular prototype, visually reminiscent of the Audi Sport quattro S1 from the 1987 Pikes Peak mountain race.

The latest design – the Audi RS Q e-tron raced by Ekstrom, Peterhansel and Sainz – has an electric drive with energy converter and high-voltage battery, coping with extreme demands on energy management.

Audi achieved overall victory in the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge in 2022 with this prototype.

In two Dakar appearances to date, the brand has also achieved six stage victories with it and 28 podium results in the daily standings.