The primary contributors to this are a new hairpin winding in the stator, silicon carbide semiconductors in the pulse width modulating inverter, and an electric oil pump in the transmission. The new hairpin winding maximizes the current conduction in the electric motor's stator. This method also allows for higher winding counts: The fill factor is now 60 instead of 45 percent compared to the previously used conventional windings. Thanks to rotor oil cooling, Audi was also able to avoid using rare earths to the greatest possible extent. In total, losses caused by drag in the electric drive systems fell significantly by about 50 percent. Increased power density The direct cooling of the electric motors with oil, which was used for the first time, keeps components like stator winding and permanent magnets in the rotor in the optimal temperature range. As a result, the drive system’s power-to-weight ratio for the PPE electric drive system is about 60 percent higher than that of the first-generation electric drive systems. Optimized acoustics The redeveloped electric drive systems for the PPE also stand out due to particularly quiet and comfortable acoustics. Motor mounts molded on the structurally optimized housing, improved tooth geometry, and a segmented rotor contribute to this. Expanded vertical integration Another important factor for the successful development of the PPE electric drive systems is the significantly expanded vertical range of manufacture in Győr. The largest powertrain plant in the world not only manufactures electric motors, but also a majority of the transmissions. Tailor-made electric motors When accelerating under full power, an asynchronous motor (ASM) on the front axle goes into action. The ASM does not contain any magnets; it generates its magnetic field through induction and can therefore, if necessary, spin freely without significant drag losses.
And the company is planning to gradually increase this portion also, for example, through the use of heat pumps to reuse waste heat from production processes. 3. Purchasing renewable energy As the third pillar of the concept, Audi is also transitioning its energy procurement to be net carbon neutral. Audi has been producing cars in Ingolstadt exclusively with green electricity since early 2012. This early transition made the brand with the four rings a pioneer of sustainability in the industry at the time. Dr. Rüdiger Recknagel, Head of Environmental Protection for the Audi Group, explains: “A neighboring refinery and the municipal waste recycling plant supply the main plant with net carbon-neutral waste heat. Additionally, we have secured large quantities of biogas to ensure a net carbon-neutral heat supply.” 4. Offsetting carbon emissions that are currently unavoidable In this way, the site covers almost all of its energy needs from renewable sources. As the fourth and final pillar, any emissions that Audi cannot yet avoid (a maximum of 10 percent of the original carbon emissions) are offset by purchasing carbon credits that are certified according to the highest quality standards such as Gold Standard. Only selected climate protection projects receive this independent quality standard. Through these certificates, Audi invests in the construction of wind turbines in the Global South, among other projects. In the case of the Ingolstadt plant, for example, the Four Rings offset emissions from internal logistics. Mission:Zero: Going beyond decarbonization The measures of the environmental program Mission:Zero go beyond decarbonization and address the key areas of activity of water use, resource efficiency, and the protection and preservation of biodiversity. Audi’s vision is to create a circular economy where resources such as plastics, water, and other raw materials are used in closed cycles.
For instance, thanks to a novel concept, the waste heat from the servers flows into the incampus’s overall energy supply network and can be used to heat other locations at the site. This transforms the IT Center from a consumer of energy into a generator. Software skills and digitalization at the incampus One distinctive building at the incampus is the so-called project house: a four-building complex in the northwest of the site. Its 42,000 square meters of office and workshop space are fully rented out. CARIAD has had a tech hub at the incampus since the end of 2020. The site is home to the software company’s largest location. More than 2,000 CARIAD employees work there on tech stacks for all Volkswagen Group brands, including the development of the digital driving experience, automated driving, tech platforms and cloud services. One highlight of the incampus is that CARIAD is developing the premium software and electronics architecture for the Audi and Porsche models based on the new Premium Platform Electric (PPE) there. “At the incampus, CARIAD and Audi are working together on software that will represent a competitive edge for the Group,” said Peter Bosch, CEO of CARIAD. “Together with Audi and Porsche, we’re developing the 1.2 electronics architecture here, the Volkswagen Group’s most important software architecture of the coming years. We’re utilizing modern work processes and tools for close collaboration and higher speed.” The Automated Driving Alliance, in which CARIAD and its partner company Bosch are working together to develop automated driving functions, is also located there. The modern offices there have flexibly selectable workplaces and are designed in a way to promote agile work and team exchange. In extensive workshops and laboratories, CARIAD developers are working on advancing the integration of software in vehicles from Audi and other Group brands. A two-story functional building is located in the northeast of the incampus.
The site’s smart energy concept includes renewable energies, waste heat recovery, and heat storage. Another 15 hectares will become a nature and landscape area.
The Bayernoil (formerly ERIAG) refinery in Ingolstadt helped shape Bavaria’s transformation from a place of agriculture to one of industry. Located not far from the Danube, the 75-hectare site is well connected to the Bavarian transportation network. Audi’s headquarters are just a few minutes’ drive away. With the innovative technology park on the former refinery site, IN-Campus GmbH, a joint venture between AUDI AG and the city of Ingolstadt, is addressing pressing issues such as digital innovations and sustainability. With the project house, for example: a 42,000-square-meter idea factory for future technologies. The automotive software company CARIAD has already moved in with its center of competency. The A 9 highway in the immediate vicinity has served for years as a digital test field for the development of automated driving. The “First Mile”, a development and demonstration route for 5G-based mobility applications, runs from the IN-Campus toward the highway, practically extending the test field right to the campus grounds. Also already under construction is the Vehicle Safety Center with a modern crash arena, which will offer Audi a wide range of opportunities in the development of its vehicles. Redevelopment as a role model From conception to use, the IN-Campus is designed through and through for sustainability. Key here is that no new areas were sealed for the new technology park; instead, existing space was redeveloped and revitalized. An area of 22 hectares of the yet recently unused site was polluted and in need of remediation, as some 1,200 exploratory drilling operations and 50,000 laboratory analyses revealed.
In addition, climatization of the car before departure offers great benefits through the Norwegian winter: “It’s great to be able to drive off in a heated car that’s free of ice. With a baby on board, it’s much easier to not have to get into the car wrapped up warm,” Lunde observes. Intelligent thermal control The reason behind the trouble-free everyday life is also thanks to Audi’s intelligent thermal control system: “The Audi e-tron has four thermal circuits. A heat pump draws surplus energy from both the propulsion components and the environment, so that both the passenger compartment and the battery is tempered efficiently. “It is up to three times more efficient than using a traditional heater with electric heating elements,” explains Pierre Woltmann, who has been responsible for the development of the thermal control of the high-voltage battery in the e-tron at Audi. He also emphasizes the importance of using pre-air conditioning, as the Lunde family does: “When the car is preheated using the Wallbox, a significant range gain can be achieved, especially for short driving distances. If you drive short trips with a cold car, a relatively larger share of the energy will be used for heating compared to what is used for propulsion,” he continues. In the Nordic countries, the Audi e-tron is supplied with increased capacity for heating the battery. This can be delivered as part of the Winter Package, which is also offered in other European countries. Smart heating tip The Lunde family has learned several practical tips that both contribute to comfort and control through the Norwegian winter. “If we haven’t had time to use pre-heating, we use the heating in the steering wheel and heat the seats for maximum comfort from the start of a trip. And on the shortest trips this is sufficient,” says Lunde. “Proximal heating, as Lunde describes here, is a smart tip to save range on short trips.
Audi embeds mechanisms to preserve batteries and charging capacity Preconditioning heats the high-voltage battery and interior before departure Heat pump generates soothing warmth and protects against loss of range
In the winter, electrically powered cars have to bring the interior and the battery system to the right temperature. This double task already requires a lot of energy from them. Low exterior temperatures exacerbate the problem – and affect high-voltage batteries’ performance. Nonetheless, concern over excessive loss of range in electric Audi models is unfounded: with intelligent thermal management, the brand provides outstanding performance and range in its cars; special protective mechanisms ensure long battery life. In an interview, Pierre Woltmann, head of thermal management for high-voltage batteries at Audi, and Thomas Anzenberger from thermal management virtual functional development explain how the company with the four rings is effectively meeting the challenges of winter operation.
Do drivers of electric Audi models need to be concerned about limitations in the winter? Thomas Anzenberger: I can answer that question with an unequivocal no. The size of our high-voltage batteries alone makes doubt about performance and range in the winter unwarranted. Our intelligent thermal management always selects the most efficient methods to heat the battery and the interior appropriately in the winter. As a result, high-voltage batteries have long lifespans, when our customers precondition for each season via what are known as AC charging stations or a home Wallbox. That function is particularly useful in the winter. It goes easy on the cells and simultaneously minimizes range loss because the battery is already in the optimal temperature range and therefore does not need to be heated as much. How does the cold affect a high-voltage battery?
Being the hottest components in the powertrain, the electric motors provide the thermal management system with a large quantity of heat. The standard-fit heat pump uses any waste heat to heat up or cool the interior. Depending on the outside temperature, that can boost the Audi e-tron’s range by up to ten percent in customer operation. Efficiency and performance fuse perfectly in the Audi e-tron and provide the basis for the driving experience of a new technology era. Successful in sport and volume production: the quattro drive and its history quattro drive revolutionized Audi and continues to characterize the brand with the four rings. It was born in the winter of 1976/77 during test drives in the deep snows of Sweden. Audi engineers developed the quattro system as all-wheel drive for sporty cars. The Ur-quattro, the first Audi production model with quattro drive, debuted in 1980. A year later it joined the rally circuit, notching up numerous victories along the way. Audi won the manufacturer’s world championship in 1982, with Finn Hannu Mikkola taking the driver’s title in the rally world championship in 1983. In the same year Audi unveiled the Sport quattro, 24 centimeters (9.4 in) shorter with a wide track, developing 225 kW (306 hp) – the most powerful road- going automobile offered by a German automaker up to that point. The model provided the basis for a new group B rally car in which Swede Stig Blomqvist took the driver’s championship and Audi the manufacturer’s world championship in 1984. Equally unforgettable is Walter Röhrl’s victory on the legendary Pikes Peak (USA) race in 1987. With the 598 hp Audi Sport quattro S1 (E2) he set a new record.
The air conditioning system comes as standard with an integrated highly efficient heat pump that bundles the waste heat from the high-voltage components. It can generate a heat output of up to 3 kW with 1 kW of electric energy, which increases the car’s energy efficiency and provides a more comfortable climate for the occupants. 220 kW (299 PS) or 270 kW (367 PS): the two output levels Since the two engine line-ups differ in terms of their boost strategy, they have a different system output and system torque. The Q5 Sportback 50 TFSI e quattro accelerates with 220 kW (299 PS) and 450 Nm (331.9 lb-ft) from 0 to 100 km/h (62.1 mph) in 6.1 seconds. The Q5 Sportback 55 TFSI e quattro accelerates with 270 kW (367 PS) and 500 Nm (368.8 lb-ft), enough for a standard sprint in 5.3 seconds. In both engine line-ups, the maximum torque is already available just slightly above idle speed. That also contributes to the superior overall impression emanating from the plug-in hybrid drive. The electronically governed top speed of 239 km/h (148.5 mph) and the electric power and fuel consumption are identical in both output levels. When running purely on battery power, the plug-in hybrids can run up to 61 kilometers (37.9 mi) (WLTP) at a speed of up to 135 km/h (83.9 mph).