It seems to have been an eternity ago when we met, in 2015, the first prototype of the Audi e-tron , the first of a new generation of 100% electric models from the German brand. The last time we saw it was as a camouflaged prototype at the last Geneva Motor Show. It was advertised with a range of 500km, but given that we now live under the baton of the WLTP, Audi has recently corrected that figure to a more realistic 400km.
It is not yet here that Audi finally unveils the production e-tron — it was scheduled to be presented on August 30, but after the arrest of its CEO, the presentation was postponed — but it made it known, in Copenhagen, Denmark, the interior of your future model.
The e-tron takes on the typology of a large SUV — the wheelbase is a generous 2,928 m — allowing it to comfortably accommodate five passengers and their respective luggage. The advantage of the electrical architecture is visible in the absence of an intrusive transmission tunnel, favoring the rear center passenger. But the big highlight inside is another…
Detail of the rearview mirror, allowing the camera to be seen outside the car
The first with virtual mirrors
The big highlight is the inclusion of the exterior mirrors… inside the cabin! Like? In the place where the exterior mirrors should be, there are now two cameras, whose image is digitally processed and seen on two new screens, positioned in the doors, immediately below the windows.Not counting the quasi-prototype and limited Volkswagen XL1, the Audi e-tron will be the first production car to have, as an option, virtual exterior mirrors.
Contrary to what we can see in "normal" exterior mirrors, these new virtual mirrors, comprising two 7″ OLED screens, have added functionality, by allowing zoom and come with three pre-programmed views in the MMI system — highway, parking and turning. Is it the final goodbye to blind spots?
Screens everywhere…
The rest of the e-tron's interior follows the path taken by the last Audi, especially the A8, A7 and A6. The sophisticated look of the interior is dominated by horizontal lines and the digital dominates. Audi Virtual Cockpit is standard, and as in other proposals of the brand, in addition to the central screen for the infotainment system, there is a second screen, below, that allows you to control the climate system.
With the addition of virtual mirrors, the number of screens the driver interacts with rises to five. Preview of what will be the new normal?
Audi also highlights the optional Bang&Olufsen 3D Premium Sound System, comprising 16 speakers and up to 705 watts of power — the perfect sound system to accompany the “ghostly” silence that the brand promises in its new electric model.
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