The Audi e-tron electric Quattro with 4,500 Nm of torque

One of the highlights of IAA 2009 was undoubtedly Audi’s electric Quattro, and the development ecosystem the company is establishing. Dubbed the e-tron, it has four motors producing in total a 230 kW (313 hp) and a stunning 4,500 Nm (3,319.03 lb-ft) of torque, enabling it to accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h (0 – 62.14 mph) in 4.8 seconds, and from 60 to 120 km/h (37.28 – 74.56 mph) in 4.1 seconds. The car’s lithium-ion battery is stored directly behind the passenger cabin for an optimal center of gravity, and holds 42.4 kilowatt hours, enabling a range of 250 km.

The performance figures are by no means the only evidence of the consistent and holistic strategy. The design makes it clear that the e-tron belongs in the major leagues of sports cars, and the package takes into account the specific realities of an electric [...]

Mercedes announces three Concept BlueZERO electric vehicles

Mercedes-Benz reckons it won’t be just one technology that paves the way to sustainable mobility. After showing the 200 km range all-electric BlueZERO E‑CELL at the NAIAS in January, the German giant is to create a family of modularly-constructed, liquid-cooled Lithium-ion electric cars by adding two more derivatives of the close-to-production vehicle in Frankfurt next week. The BlueZERO E-CELL PLUS extends the range to 600 km using a turbocharged petrol engine as a range extender generator, while the BlueZERO F-CELL is fuel-cell-powered with a range of about 400 km.

The BlueZERO E-CELL PLUS is part of a family of modularly constructed electric cars, which will enable Mercedes-Benz to meet all customer requirements for sustainable mobility in the future. In this variant of the concept vehicle, the electric motor of the purely battery-powered BlueZERO E-CELL is combined with an additional three-cylinder, turbocharged petrol engine. Putting out 50 kW, the [...]