Audi has presented the all-electric PB18 e-tron concept car at Pebble Beach automotive week in California, offering a glimpse into the OEM’s vision for its next generation of electrified vehicles.
Powered by three electric motors, one in the front and two in the rear, the PB18 e-tron has a maximum system output of 500kW (though, with boosting technology, 570kW is possible), and combined torque of 830Nm.
The rear motors are centrally located between the steering knuckles, each driving one wheel via half-shafts, with 150kW delivered to the front axle and 350kW to the rear. Audi states the PB18 e-tron’s 0-100km/h time is “scarcely more than 2 seconds”.
During anything other than heavy braking, the car’s hydraulic brakes are not used – instead the electric motors come into play to gather large amounts of energy.
The vehicle’s torque control manager, which works together with the electronic stabilization control (ESC) distributes the power to the wheels of the front and rear axles as required, taking advantage of the near-instant torque provided by the motors.
The concept’s liquid-cooled solid-state battery has an energy capacity of 95kWh, yielding a range of 310 miles on the WLTP cycle, and is designed with 800V charging technology. Inductive charging is also part of the vehicle’s specifications.
