It’s that vehicle – the e-tron Spyder plug-in diesel hybrid concept – that Audi brought to LeMans this weekend. More specifically, the e-tron Spyder participated in the “Le Mans vers le futur,” an event held in conjunction with the legendary 24-hour race. Along with the e-tron Spyder came the Audi Q5 hybrid quattro, a production-ready SUV that will go on sale in late 2011.
The Audi e-tron Spyder features a pair of electric motors driving the front wheels with a combined 87 horsepower of power and 260 pound-feet of torque. In the rear sits a twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V6 TDI that cranks out up to 300 hp and 479 pound-feet of torque. Them horses are funneled to the rear wheels via a seven-speed transmission. Audi says that the three units can operate separately or in unison and lists maximum output at 388 hp, with torque peaking at a hefty 664 pound-feet.
Audi says that despite the hefty 9.1 kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery mounted up front, it managed to keep the vehicle’s weight in check and distribute the pounds evenly across the chassis. As a result, the e-tron Spyder should be plenty tossable. Audi claims the e-tron Spyder tips the scales at 3,196 pounds and that the drivetrain provides sufficient electric-only power to hit speeds of up to 37 miles per hour for a total of 31 miles. The manufacturer says that in city driving, that capability is enough to hang with traffic. If not, there’s always that torquey diesel V6 out back.
[Source: Green Car Congress]
