Audi RS Q e-tron E2: lighter, more aerodynamic and even more efficient

Gentle within the air, gentle within the sand: the brand new physique

“The Audi RS Q e-tron E2 does not adopt a single body part from its predecessor,” says Axel Löffler, Chief Designer of the RS Q e-tron. In order to adjust to the prescribed inside dimensions, the cockpit, which was beforehand narrowly recessed in direction of the roof, is now considerably wider. The entrance and rear hoods have additionally been redesigned. “We are now doing away with the underflow of the rear hood to the left and right of the B-pillars. In conjunction with modified lay-ups, i.e. optimized fabric layers of the composite materials, this solution reduces weight,” says Löffler. The T1U prototypes must weigh 2,100 as an alternative of two,000 kilograms sooner or later. Given that the primary era of the RS Q e-tron was chubby, it was nonetheless obligatory to avoid wasting a number of dozen kilograms. This is accompanied by the reducing of the automobile’s heart of gravity. 

The aerodynamic idea within the space of the physique beneath the hoods is totally new. This part is nearly harking back to the form of a ship’s hull: its widest level is on the peak of the cockpit, whereas the physique tapers considerably in direction of the entrance and rear. Audi has now distributed with the a part of the fenders that was behind the entrance wheels and shaped the transition to the door. Internally, this construction was referred to as the “elephant foot.” As a outcome, the designers saved more weight and optimized the air circulation. “The aerodynamic aspect should not be underestimated in desert rallying either,” says Löffler. Admittedly, the brand new cockpit dimensions imply that the physique has a bigger and subsequently much less favorable cross-section. Nevertheless, it was doable to scale back the general aerodynamic drag by round 15 p.c, i.e. the product of the CD worth and the frontal space (A). This doesn’t change the highest pace. It stays restricted to 170 km/h within the laws. Nevertheless, the improved air circulation gives one main benefit. “It further reduces the energy requirements of the electrically powered car,” says Löffler. “We implemented the aerodynamic calculations entirely using computational fluid dynamics (CFD).” These laptop simulations substitute the time-consuming work within the wind tunnel and nonetheless ship extremely exact outcomes.

Even more environmentally pleasant: optimized vitality administration

The electrical drivetrain of the Audi RS Q e-tron E2 contains an vitality converter consisting of an inside combustion engine and a generator, in addition to a high-voltage battery and the 2 electrical motors on the entrance and rear axles. Energy administration performs an important function right here. The digital management system of the advanced electrical drivetrain proved its value within the first rally occasions. Challenges solely arose in excessive circumstances. At the Dakar Rally, for instance, Audi famous short-term surpluses of energy in conditions the place the wheels made much less contact with the bottom whereas leaping or on uneven terrain. The officers of the FIA, the world automobile federation, intervene at a threshold of two kilojoules of extra vitality and impose sporting penalties. “By way of comparison, more than one hundred times the amount of energy flows to the motors per second within the permissible limits,” says Florian Semlinger, improvement engineer for embedded software program, utility and check bench. “We could have made it easy on ourselves and set our threshold several kilowatts lower, but that would have meant performance disadvantages. Instead, we put a lot of fine-tuning into the power controllers.” Two particular person limits – one for every motor – at the moment are recalculated by the software program inside milliseconds. As a outcome, it operates exactly alongside the permissible restrict.

The so-called auxiliary shoppers additionally profit from optimized management. The servo pump, the air-conditioning cooling pump and the followers have a measurable influence on the vitality stability. In the course of the debut season in 2022, the Audi and Q Motorsport rally group gained precious expertise that allows higher evaluation. Take the air-conditioning system, for instance: It works so aggressively that it might trigger the coolant to freeze when always operating at its most output. In the long run, the system will run in an intermittent mode. This saves vitality, but the inside temperatures solely fluctuate barely, even over longer intervals. The working technique for the followers and the servo pump has additionally been optimized. For instance, the programs can now be regulated in a different way for the decrease masses on the liaison levels than on the particular levels.

Simplified operation: Ease of use within the cockpit and when altering wheels

The Audi drivers Mattias Ekström/Emil Bergkvist, Stéphane Peterhansel/Edouard Boulanger and Carlos Sainz/Lucas Cruz can sit up for their new workplaces. The shows are nonetheless within the driver’s area of view and positioned within the heart console within the normal model, and the central change panel with its 24 fields has additionally been retained. However, the engineers have restructured the shows and controls. “The totality of all the functions quickly creates confusion,” says Florian Semlinger. “That’s why, for the first time, the driver and co-driver can now select from four system areas using a rotary switch.” The “Stage” theme accommodates all of the capabilities which are essential whereas driving competitively – such because the pace limiter in sections with pace limits or the air jack. The “Road” half accommodates, for instance, flip alerts and the rear-view digital camera, capabilities which are typically in demand on the liaison levels. The “Error” possibility is used to detect, categorize and catalog errors. The “Settings” part contains every part that’s helpful for the engineering group throughout testing or after the automobile arrives on the bivouac, for instance, detailed temperatures of particular person programs.

Crews can now work a lot more simply after a puncture. Simple, flat and simply detachable physique parts substitute the earlier cumbersome covers for the spare wheels within the flanks. The new ten-spoke rims from associate Rotiform are a lot simpler to deal with. Drivers and co-drivers can grip them more simply and full the change more safely. 

“We have combined all the important lessons in a very short time. The result of our ideas is the E2 evolution,” says Uwe Breuling, Head of Vehicle Operations Audi Sport. “Our development team’s determined and cost-efficient work has prepared us perfectly for our second Dakar Rally.”

Following preliminary testing led by Arnau Niubó Bosch, Head of Test Engineering, Audi Sport unveiled the RS Q e-tron E2 in Neuburg an der Donau on September 1. From October 1 to six, the brand new know-how must show itself in competitors for the primary time on the Rally du Maroc. All three Audi driver pairings will then contest the desert rally that begins and finishes in Agadir, within the southwest of the North African nation.

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>> Video Audi RS Q e-tron E2 changes
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>> Footage: Audi RS Q e-tron E2 testing
>> Technical data Audi RS Q e-tron E2