Less than a year after the first concept idea, the new Audi RS Q e-tron, one of the most important projects in the brand's history, started to be tested by Audi Sport.
Audi aims to be the first automaker to use an efficient energy converter and electric drivetrain against its traditional-powered rivals in the world's toughest rally. Having used quattro in the World Rally Championship before, Audi was the first brand to win the Le Mans 24 Hours race with an electric car.
Audi aims to achieve a new success in the Dakar Rally with the RS Q e-tron model, which was produced a year after the first concept idea.
Prepared for the Dakar Rally, which will continue for two weeks and an average of 800 km of stages are passed per day.
The Audi Sport team is creating new ways to cover this distance.
Since there was no possibility of charging in the desert at the Dakar Rally, Audi chose an innovative charging concept: Audi fitted the RS Q e-tron with the highly efficient TFSI engine, which it had previously used in the DTM. The vehicle is equipped with an energy converter that charges the high-voltage battery while driving. Thus, the internal combustion engine can achieve a consumption value of well below 4.500 grams per kWh, especially when operated in the efficient range, ie between 6.000 and 200 rpm.
In the Audi RS Q e-tron, the powertrain of which is electric, both front and rear axles are equipped with a motor-generator unit (MGU) developed by Audi Sport for the Audi e-tron FE2021 Formula E competing in the 07 season. The brand intends to use this MGU in the Dakar Rally with minor modifications.
The third MGU of the same design, which is part of the energy converter, charges the battery while driving, which weighs about 370 kilograms and has a capacity of about 50 kWh. In addition, energy is recovered during braking.
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