When you get a sliver of achance to drive the Audie-tron GT, you take it, even if it’s just for 1 day.
Electric Vehicles (EVs) are very much a rare sight on South African roads but Audi’s local EV offensive has seen no less than 6 new electric e-tron derivatives come to market this year and with other brands such as Mini,Volvo, Jaguar, BMW, Porsche and soon, Mercedes-Benz, offering premium EV products locally, you will start to see more EVs blitzing around Mzansi very soon.
Perched at the summit of the Ingolstadt-based firm’s electric product range is the e-tron GT, a shapely and undeniably sexy electric sports car that shares its underpinnings with the Porsche Taycan. The e-tron GT was also recently announced as the 2022 World Performance Car of the Year while also being a finalist in the World Electric Vehicle of the Year and World Car Design of the Year. So then, the e-tron GT has a lot going for it…
Like most South Africans, I’m admittedly “wet behind the ears” when it comes to EVs but I’ve been fortunate to briefly drive the Porsche Taycan as well as Audi’s e-tron SUV in both Sportback and 55 guise. Now though, I was excited to experience Audi’s flagship e-tron GT!
When the e-tron GT was revealed back in 2021, its styling execution arrested the world and now it stood before me, finished in an understated Suzuka Grey metallic body colour and riding on aerodynamic, 20-inch module-style wheels. But before I get could get this test underway, I needed to charge it up…
With more charginginfrastructure being installed, the e-tron GT can be charged easily and enjoyed more often on roads like this.
I had a fair amount of distance to cover in the e-tron GT and with only 180 km charge (thanks to my colleagues draining the battery), I needed to get some more electric juice into the 93.4 kWh battery which would, in theory, give me a range of over well over 400 km. In fact, Audi claims an electric range of between 433-472 km (WLTP) for the base e-tron GT.
Charging your EV is something that you will have to grapple with and by downloading the PlugShare app, you will make your life much easier!
PlugShare will show you available charging stations nearest to you and you will be able to plan your trips using the app. I decided to use Audi’s newly installed 75 kW EV charger at Audi Century City for a faster charge. Thankfully, I had the charging station all to myself and I didn’t have to wait to use it.
Of course, if you purchase an Audi EV, you can have a home charger installed for your convenience. Charging at home makes the most sense as it will be cheaper (seecharging costs below) and you won’t ever have to wait in a queue to charge your EV. Charging your EV at home is much like charging your smartphone. You come home from work, plug in for the night and charge up and you’ll be ready to go in the morning. Many people are concerned about Eskom load-shedding but if you consider that you aren’t likely to be charging from empty and that your typical night-time charging cycle will be up to 12 hours long, load-shedding is unlikely to hamper your charge significantly.
Even so, if you find yourself out and about and in need of some charge, then the PlugShare app will be a handy tool. Earlier this year, Audi announced its partnership with GridCars to install up to 70 charge connectors at 33 new public charging sites across South Africa. The partnership will result in 4 ultra-fast 150kW DC charging stations being installed along the N1, N2, N3 and N4 highways which will allow for 340 km charge to be obtained in about 30 minutes as well as 5 80kW (DC) chargers and 24 22 kW (AC) charging stations. This increased charging infrastructure will not only improve charging efficiency but will also help to alleviate range anxiety, especially on those longer journeys.
The e-tron GT has 2 charging ports on either side of the front flanks, one for Direct Current (DC) charging and one for Alternate Current (AC) charging. In no time at all, I was plugged into the DC charger, tapped the charge card and that was it, charging started!180 km to full charge would take about 50 minutes, enough time to take a walk a drink some coffee!
Charging your e-tron GT (or any EV) will be the cheapest when done at home.
Your EV charging cost will be the cheapest when charging at home and the cost might vary betwen R2 and R2.50 per kWh which means you can expect to pay roughly R233 to charge the e-tron GT’s 93 kWh battery from zero to full charge, which is significantly cheaper than filling an equivalent Internal Combustion Engine (ICE) vehicle with petrol or diesel.
If you use public charging stations to charge your EV, you can expect to pay anywhere between R3.50 and R6.00 per kWh with fast chargers being the most expensive. Audi’s 75 kW DC charger at Century City costs about R5.80 per kWh, which means a full charge will cost roughly R540, which is still close to half of what you would get out of a similarly-powered ICE engine considering current fuel prices.
With the battery fully charged, I pointed the Audi e-tron GT towards Cape Town’s South peninsula. The roads in this part of the world snake around the mountains and Atlantic ocean, making for an exceptionally scenic drive and with minimal traffic, it was a perfect opportunity to test the Audi e-tron GT’s performance capability.
The Audi e-tron GT offers strong acceleration off the line and delivers excellent levels of driving comfort.
In its base form, the “baby” e-tron GT quattro produces no less than 350 kW and 630 Nm with 2 electric motors (one over each axle) and is capable of sprinting from the zero to 100 kph dash in 4.5 seconds using a 2-speed automatic transmission, which by electric standards, isn’t particularly earth-shattering. Outputs can, however, boost to 390 kW and 640 Nm for 2.5 seconds when executing launch control and a 4.1-second sprint to 100kph is possible.
Of course, if you opt for the range-topping e-tron GT RS, outputs increase to a heady 440 kW and 830 Nm while shaving the zero to 100 kph sprint time down to a scintillating 3.3 seconds.
Nonetheless, it’s the way in which the e-tron GT quattro unleashes its performance that is most impressive.
From standstill and at full-bore acceleration, the e-tron GT winds up with an audible electric whoosh and gathers furious pace at a rate that will leave you gobsmacked. Acceleration is instant and intense but it all takes place in relative silence and without much drama which can leave you feeling somewhat underwhelmed.
ICE vs EV? It’s a debate worth having! The Audi R8 V10 Spyder delivers all the thrills.
As a way of comparison, not too long ago I drove Audi’s R8 V10 quattro Spyder with 449 kW and 560 Nm and its performance delivery is far more visceral. The appeal of a 5.2-litre V10 screaming behind you as you attack the horizon will never get old and that drama and feeling is something that electric cars, the e-tron GT included, simply lack.
Even so, the e-tron GT is fantastically refined to drive on the road and it can easily be used for the daily commute. The e-tron GT’s road manners are impeccable and even though it weighs in at around 2 350 kg, that heft is not immediately apparent. In fact, it adopts an overtly sporty disposition. The steering setup is sharp, direct and communicative and the e-tron GT feels surprisingly agile and nimble when cornering at speed. You’d be forgiven for thinking that you are driving something much lighter!
Driving like a bat out of hell will deplete the e-tron GT’s range much faster and managing your electric range does become a bit of a game. The e-tron GT forces you to adapt your driving style to get the most distance out of the battery. For example, driving uphill will sap more energy but this energy can be mostly recouped when coasting on downhills through brake energy recuperation. In addition to automatic energy recuperation, the driver can also manually recoup energy by pulling both steering-wheel paddles simultaneously to win back some charge. Driving for efficiency does add a level of enjoyment to the drive and it’s something that’s more often than not overlooked when driving a conventional ICE car.
Provided that the Audi e-tron GT has sufficient charge along its route, it would be utterly fantastic to embark on a long-distance, continent crushing road trip in this car. I will keep dreaming, maybe it will be possible, just maybe…
The e-tron GT’s cabin is familiar and offers all the comfort and tech you might need. Be prepared to tick a few option boxes though.
Audi is really good at nailing interior execution and the cabin of the e-tron GT is no different. The interior layout and design is very much familiar from what you’d see in a conventional Audi. Depending on your opinion, that could be seen as a criticism as it can be argued that Audi’s flagship EV’s interior execution is too demure, perhaps not “special” enough and there may be some truth to that.
Even so, luxury, technology and comfort features abound inside e-tron GT (if you are prepared to pay for them).The large central touchscreen is angled towards the driver and it provides all the functionality you would expect including Apple CarPlay/Android Auto connectivity, telephony and all the vehicle-related information menus. Audi’s Virtual Cockpit is also fitted which can easily be configured using the steering-mounted controls.
Aiding the sportiness inside the cabin are the optional Sports Seats Pro which cost about R77 800, but they are exceptionally comfortable and well-bolstered to support you as you put the e-tron GT through its paces. Rear passenger space is adequate but not necessarily generous and the rear seatbacks can be folded down in a 60:40 configuration should you ever need to transport longer items and the load bay size is claimed at 405 litres.
Like most EVs currently on sale in SA, the e-tron GT is a luxury that most can’t afford. But if you can, this is marvellous technology on wheels.
The Audi e-tron GT quattro is priced from R2 715 000. Audi does offer a wide range of optional features for the e-tron GT and the example on test here is priced at roughly R3 054 100.
The range-topping Audi e-tron GT RS is priced from R3 300 000.
The e-tron GT is sold with a 1-year/unlimited km vehicle warranty as well as an 8-year/160 000km battery warranty and a 5-year/100 000km maintenance plan.
See specification details for the Audi e-tron GT
Buy an Audi e-tron GT on Cars.co.za
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