Audi e-tron GT quattro and RS e-tron GT: we drive the best anti Tesla

Saying that the new Audi e-tron GT is, today, the best car at putting to shame a whole Tesla Model S –and probably also at getting under the skin of Elon Musk himself– is saying a lot.

Tesla has had free rein when it got ahead of everyone in electric mobility, but it was only a matter of time before the American brand faced rivals who are slowly displacing it from that privileged position. Some come from China, like the Lucid Air. For others, all that was needed was for the European premium brands to decide to make the leap into electric mobility.

In the case of Audi, the brand with the four rings did so in 2018, with the SUV Audi e-tron, which we can really consider its first electric car, after the “short circuit” caused by the first attempt with the Audi R8 e-tron in 2015, which was nothing more than a “transformed” R8. In 2019 the e-tron Sportback variant arrived, and in 2020 the “S” performance versions with three motors.

Now, the Audi e-tron GT quattro arrives accompanied by the RS version, the first electric car signed by Audi Sport. And it does so in grand style, leading a new generation of electric cars that will have the following episodes with the Q4 e-tron and Q4 e-tron Sportback, and with the Audi A6 e-tron that we have already seen as a concept in Shanghai. And so on, up to 20 electric models in 2025.

But let’s get to the point, and review the technology of the Audi e-tron and RS e-tron, to get to know them a little better before getting on board. Although first, it’s worth knowing what prices the new e-tron GT is in: prices start from 104,290 euros for the Audi e-tron GT 60 quattro, and from 143,420 for the Audi RS e-tron GT.

The technology of the Audi e-tron GT: battery and charging times

The Audi e-tron GT shares its platform with the Porsche Taycan. Both versions have two electric motors, one on each axle, so they have all-wheel drive. It’s no coincidence, therefore, that they also use the same type of battery, with a total capacity of 93 kWh (85 kWh net) and a voltage of 800 volts, which accepts a maximum DC charging power of 270 kW.

To give some reference and so you can see how this is progressing, just note that the 150 kW charging power announced for the Audi e-tron just three years ago already seemed amazing to us…

What does this mean? Well, first, that the Audi e-tron GT promises a range of up to 487 km, which drops to 472 on the RS e-tron GT. Second, that it is possible to charge the battery to 80% of its capacity in just 25 minutes, or to recover the energy needed to cover 100 km in just 5 minutes, which already allows us to look at electric mobility with different eyes.

With the 11 kW onboard charger and the mode 3 cable supplied as standard, it would be possible to recharge the e-tron GT’s battery with alternating current overnight, connected to a Wallbox. In a few months, Audi will also offer the option of choosing a 22 kW charger.

A curious detail is the shape of the battery, located between the axles, which has two levels forming a sort of “drawer” that corresponds to the area where rear passengers place their feet. Its position not only contributes to an ideal 50:50 weight distribution between both axles, but the centre of gravity is… even lower than in a Audi R8!

The battery has a sophisticated four-circuit cooling system, which allows cooling to be intensified to maintain the performance of the drive system when maximum output is demanded. Audi claims this allows both e-tron GT versions to accelerate from standstill to top speed ten times consecutively. Another job of the cooling system is to condition the battery so that it is ready and at the optimum temperature before receiving a fast charge.

Image gallery Audi e-tron GT quattro

The propulsion system of the Audi e-tron GT: instant power

Just see how much things are changing that now it is almost more important, when talking about a new electric car, to discuss its batteries, range and charging possibilities than its motors or power. With “thermal” cars it’s a different matter; or perhaps we should already use the past tense. But the characteristics of an engine used to tell you a lot about its character: naturally aspirated or turbo, petrol or diesel, displacement and cylinder layout… Now we all know that with electric motors power is not a problem, nor is the way it is delivered.

In the case of the e-tron GT, Audi uses a front electric motor of 238 CV (175 kW), and a second electric motor on the rear axle that reaches 435 CV (320 kW) on the rear axle for the e-tron GT, and 456 CV (335 kW) in the RS version. The total system output of the e-tron GT is 530 CV (390 kW), with a maximum torque of 630 Nm. In the RS e-tron GT, the figures are 598 CV (440 kW) and 830 Nm, with a boost mode that increases power up to 646 CV momentarily for about 2.5 seconds.

To find similar figures in the German manufacturer’s range, you have to look, for example, under the bonnet of the Audi RS 7 Sportback, the combustion-engined car that most resembles this electric Grand Tourer, where we find the 600 CV and 800 Nm twin-turbo V8. And note this fact: with 200 kg more weight, the RS e-tron GT accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.3 seconds, shaving no less than 3 tenths off the stratospheric record of the RS 7, both with top speed limited to 250 km/h. Mind you, the e-tron GT doesn’t fall far behind: it clocks 4.1 seconds in the short sprint, with top speed limited to 245 km/h.

If we look for comparable electric cars, beyond the Taycan, the only one we find is the Tesla Model S, which still offers an unmatched price-to-power ratio compared with German models: the Model S Plaid costs 120,000 euros, and promises… 1,020 CV! Although I have tried some Tesla models, I still haven’t been able to drive its most powerful version. But I can assure you that the difference in power and performance with the e-tron GT is not as decisive as the difference in perceived quality when you get out of one model and into the other, especially for what you expect from cars costing over 100,000 euros. Range is another matter, where Tesla still has a “magic formula” that its rivals seem not to have found yet.

All-wheel drive and energy recovery

The power of the electric motors in the Audi e-tron GT is transmitted to all four wheels with a fully variable torque distribution. In the case of the front motor, it is installed coaxially with the drive shafts. The rear one uses a two-speed gearbox, with a first gear used to achieve maximum acceleration; under normal conditions, the car always starts in second.

The operation of the electric quattro all-wheel drive depends on the programme selected in the Audi drive select. For example, in dynamic mode rear-wheel drive is prioritised, and in efficiency the front. Unless dynamic mode has been selected, when you lift off the accelerator the car coasts “under sail”; only in dynamic mode does the energy recovery system act, which does so using the front motor. Braking is another matter: here both motors intervene to provide deceleration, and they can recover up to 265 kW of power.

The suspension is always with variable-stiffness dampers. Air springs are optionally available for the e-tron GT, and standard on the RS. The rear limited-slip differential is also standard on the sportier variant – optional on the e-tron GT. Both can be fitted with four-wheel steering or a carbon-fibre roof. To finish with the differences affecting the running gear, the e-tron GT comes as standard with 19-inch wheels and conventional brakes, while the RS has 20-inch wheels and larger-diameter discs with a tungsten carbide coating. Both can optionally be fitted with wheels up to 22 inches and carbon-ceramic brakes.

Driving the Audi e-tron GT and the RS e-tron GT

Although there are differences between them, driving the Audi e-tron GT or the RS e-tron GT is quite an experience, however familiar we may be with the characteristics of electric cars. Saying they are very fast cars is an understatement. It isn’t just a matter of figures, though those are certainly there. I’m talking about sensations. And it is not easy to convey what it feels like behind the wheel of these cars.

What best defines the dynamism of the e-tron GT in any of its versions is how easily you can travel at a pace that in “conventional” cars would require a far greater effort; and not only physical, but mental or in terms of concentration. It’s true that you have to change your mindset and driving style a little if you want to make the most of the potential of the motors and the chassis. This is mainly because there is a huge amount of power and tremendous thrust, delivered instantly. But also because the car, thanks to its low centre of gravity, feels as if it were literally glued to the tarmac.

Going fast in any e-tron GT is very easy. Going very fast requires no special skill, but you realise the enormous influence that the smoothness with which you handle the steering and pedals has on the pace at which you can travel. That doesn’t mean you need to be careful with the accelerator on the way out of corners, because the traction is fantastic, and the electronic management takes care of distributing power much faster and more precisely than a mechanical quattro system would. I have only been able to drive versions with the optional four-wheel steering (which includes variable-ratio steering), which is a highly recommended extra for sporty driving on mountain roads.

Needless to say, in normal or touring driving, the Audi e-tron GT is a delight. I won’t say it is as comfortable as an Audi A8, for example. But travelling at a relaxed pace, letting the various driver-assistance systems “help” you, turns journeys into a real pleasure. It seems incredible that a car that can be so agile and fast in extreme driving can at the same time offer such a high level of ride comfort – especially with the air suspension – with a very good level of sound insulation in the cabin.

By the way, it’s worth pausing here for a moment to talk about the e-sound artificial sound system developed by Audi, standard on the RS version. It produces an artificial sound through an external speaker and another inside the cabin – it can be switched off, or linked only to the sporty or individual driving mode – which aims to create a sound that reflects the performance of the propulsion system. It is still a synthesised sound, which never comes close to the resounding sound emitted by the exhaust of a Audi RS with a V8 engine. But it’s something…

Otherwise, the brakes have a very good feel, to the point that it is very hard to tell when regenerative electric braking is acting, which happens in braking situations requiring decelerations of up to 0.3 g. The paddles behind the steering wheel allow you to choose between different levels of retardation when you lift off the accelerator, but their use is more geared to relaxed driving. In sporty driving they don’t activate a level of retardation high enough to entrust the car’s loss of speed to the regeneration system and forget about the brake pedal in many situations, as happens in other electric cars.

Inside the Audi e-tron GT

We have left the impressions of the interior of the new Audi e-tron GT for last, because this is where we find the fewest differences with other Audi models that are not electrically propelled. This means, first of all, that the finish and fit are impeccable. It also means that the design we find is characteristic of the brand’s latest models, with a clear commitment to digitalisation.

The driving position combines the luxury of an A7 or A8 with the sporty sensations you can feel behind the wheel of an Audi R8. The front occupants sit very close to the floor, so getting in and out of the car is harder than, for example, in an A7 Sportback. Rearward visibility and three-quarter rear visibility are also compromised, for example when pulling out diagonally at a give-way junction.

Everything else comes close to perfection: driving position, feel of the controls, seat support, and the quantity and quality of the information you can manage with the infotainment system… The instrumentation is handled by the usual Audi digital cockpit system, with a fully configurable 12.3-inch screen. The multimedia system is operated from the 10.1-inch touchscreen on the centre console. The choice of physical buttons for the climate controls seems to me more sensible than the second touchscreen that Audi uses in many of its latest models.

The rear seats are tighter than we might expect from a car 5 metres long. It is homologated for five seats, but the fact that Audi refers to the e-tron as a “4+1” already indicates that a possible centre rear passenger will have a hard time. It will also greatly limit the comfort of the other two occupants, since despite being an electric car the e-tron GT does have a centre tunnel; not for the driveshaft (there is no mechanical connection between the two axles), but to house part of the components of the electrical system.

The recess allowed by the shape of the battery in the floor means that feet can be placed without the knees sitting very high relative to the seat base. However, the fact that you cannot slide your feet under the front seats means you have to adopt a position in which you cannot “reposition” yourself as the kilometres pass, so long journeys in these seats can indeed be more uncomfortable for passengers than, for example, in an A7.

As for luggage space, both e-tron models have a 85-litre front boot, while the rear boot offers 405 litres in the e-tron GT, and 40 litres less in the RS, due to the subwoofer of the Bang & Olufsen sound system, which is standard on this version.

Audi e-tron GT vs RS e-tron GT

A reasonable doubt when thinking about a car like the Audi e-tron GT would be choosing between the basic version or the RS. A doubt that would not be hard to resolve if we take into account that the price difference is around 40,000 euros.

You won’t miss power or performance in the e-tron GT. But in a car like this I would opt for the RS e-tron GT. It seems to me the “ultimate machine”, and although the difference is significant, I don’t think it is that large for those who can invest more than 100,000 euros in a car. Let’s remember that, for the time being, Audi has no plans to offer a more affordable variant of the e-tron GT, as Porsche does with the rear-wheel-drive Taycan.

What does the RS e-tron GT offer at that higher price, besides greater power and a generally sportier feel without any detriment to comfort? Well, all of the following: electronic limited-slip rear differential, e-sound sporty sound system, high-performance brakes, sport seats plus, black styling pack, 20-inch wheels, Matrix LED headlights, air suspension, Bang & Olufsen audio system, memory seats and electrically adjustable steering wheel.

And if in doubt, there is always the option of going for the e-tron GT and fitting the Gran Turismo GT pack, which costs 5,900 euros and includes all the elements mentioned above, starting from the Matrix LED headlights.

Image gallery Audi RS e-tron GT