2019 Audi E-Tron Quattro SUV is Good at Drifting

Audi’s first ever all-electric car, the 2019 E-Tron, will soon go on sale. As promised by the German marque, the SUV will offer great dynamics and of course, zero-emissions driving that is good for consumers and the environment.

Audi isn’t just talking about how impressive its E-Tron is. In fact, it has demonstrated the SUV’s actual capability on the ground. The units used were a few prototypes close to the production version. They were taken to the Kalahari desert for some serious drifting. The terrain conditions there are very suitable for demonstrating the tenacity of the E-Tron, especially to prove how well the electric Quattro all-wheel drive system performs in the face of hard gravel surface.

According to Audi, there is an interconnection between the E-Tron’s all-wheel drive and suspension systems. That being said, function coordination also exists between the electronic stabilization control, Audi Drive Select, and air suspension.

Torque management and distribution have been taken to a different level in the Quattro system. Regulation between the two axles happens continuously and requires only 30 milliseconds for each process of figuring the driving situation and sending the right amount of torque from the electric motors.

The Quattro’s dynamic control and the wheel-selective torque control are now integrated with the central suspension control unit, making the most of the SUV’s all-electric powertrain. The system is designed to correct understeer by slowing the inside wheels through braking and transferring more torque to the outside wheels so that the vehicle can be pulled back to the proper line.

Control of wheel slip happens dramatically faster by 50 times since it’s done directly at the power electronics of the electric motors. The Electronic Stabilization Control comes with four-stage function modes, allowing the best driving configuration to be chosen according to the driving conditions.

Seven modes are also available for the standard dynamic handling system, adapting the characteristics of the E-Tron to various types of terrain. On the highway, the SUV can lower itself by 26 millimeters for enhanced aerodynamics while offroad mode will lift it by 50 millimeters.

Sitting in the floor, the battery pack is placed between the two axles, under the passenger compartment, thus producing nearly 50:50 weight distribution. According to Audi, the E-Tron is also superior to conventional SUVs in terms of rigidity.