• 
• 
• 
•  

---

Audi has revealed the new A8 L 60 TFSI e quattro, a plug-in hybrid variant of the marque’s flagship limo.

 

Power comes from a 3.0-litre 250kW/500Nm turbocharged V6 petrol combined with a 100kW/350Nm electric motor driven by a 14.1kWh battery pack. The system’s total outputs come in at 330kW and 700Nm.

 

Like the recently revealed A6 55 TFSI e quattro, the electric motor is housed in the automatic transmission. The torque is sent to Audi’s permanent quattro permanent all-wheel drive system.

 

According to Audi, the A8 L 60 TFSI e quattro can run from 0-100km/h in 4.9 seconds on its way to a top speed of 250km/h.

 

Using the WLTP cycle an electric driving range 46 kilometres is possible with a full battery. In EV mode a top speed is rated at 135km/h, while fuel consumption on the combined cycle is listed at 2.5L/100km.

 

Audi’s predictive efficiency assist (PEA) system is standard and uses information from the navigation data, including speed limits, types of roads and uphill and downhill gradients to maximise efficiency. The system can cut the engine while coasting and recover up to 25kW of power.

 

The electric motor also performs all light and medium brake operations up to 0.3 g, which apparently make up more than 90 per cent of all brake operations in everyday driving. Audi also says up to 80kW of power can be recuperated while braking.

 

Standard equipment also includes a synthetic e-sound which alerts pedestrians and cyclists in city traffic. The acoustic vehicle alerting system (AVAS) can be heard clearly up to 20km/h and gradually fades out as the speed increases. The sound is generated by a small electronics box and output by a loudspeaker in the right wheel arch.

 

As with the A6 55 TFSI e quattro, the A8 PHEV isn’t headed Down Under at this stage. Locally, Audi’s electric range will begin with e-tron SUV in 2020.