It goes without saying that the latest crop of electric performance cars on the market are absolutely extreme, and when extreme is the new norm, how do you wow customers? By going up to twelve, of course. For 2025, the Audi RS e-tron GT performance is the top-dog electric Audi, and while it features some absolutely incredible output, we do wish someone paid closer attention to copywriting for the press release.
Here’s the big headline figure everyone’s looking for: 912 horsepower. Yes, this means that the RS e-tron GT performance is the most powerful production Audi of all time, and that massive power figure makes for a minuscule zero-to-60 mph time. Audi claims this hi-po model will do the dash in just 2.4 seconds, and it’s taken some serious revisions to get there.
There’s more copper in the rear motor’s stator, the front motor is fed by a new inverter capable of handling 600 amps, the rear motor is 22 pounds lighter than before, and the new hardware is also good for 400 kW of regenerative braking, translating to 0.45 g of deceleration force.
Then there’s the battery pack. Out goes the old 93.4 kWh pack and in goes a 105 kWh pack. Despite a 12 percent increase in energy capacity, the new battery pack weighs 25 pounds less than the old one thanks to leaning on improved cell chemistry. At the same time, thermal management has been substantially improved with a new battery cooling plate, and the peak DC fast charging current jumps from 270 kW to 320 kW. Not only does the 2025 Audi RS e-tron GT promise to go like the Dickens, it promises to charge quickly, too.
Of course, power is nothing without control, so Audi’s gone to work on the handling of the RS e-tron GT performance too. It now sports two-chamber two-valve air springs similar to its platform-mate the Porsche Taycan, and a quicker steering ratio of 14.3:1 if the box for four-wheel steering is ticked. Add in the option of fully active hydraulic suspension like what’s available on the Porsche Taycan, and the Audi seems like a promising alternative for those who want four rings on the nose.
In addition to face-melting performance, there are many cosmetic additions listed in the press release for the RS e-tron GT Performance including…*squints*…you know what, I’ll bold this just in case you miss it.
A tribute to the 1994 Audi Avant RS 2, where the analog dials also came in white, the RS e-tron GT performance also features a white Power Meter and speedometer as a special digital feature.
Huh. Talk about words that should never ever go together. Especially if you’re a German automaker because, you know, history. Whoever wrote this on their third coffee of the morning probably didn’t mean it like that. I hope. Someone needs to check.
Oh, and just in case this seems like a bit, here’s a screengrab from Audi’s U.S. media site. I’ve shrunk it down for better viewing on mobile, but when you tap the link and bring it up on desktop, the line break occurs right after the ‘and’ which definitely isn’t ideal.
The 2025 Audi RS e-tron GT performance features white gauges. I think. I really hope. That’s a much better way of phrasing it than the way Audi put it. It’s no secret that we live in divided times, tensions are high, and the Overton Window is getting weird, but let’s not let slip anything that can be misconstrued in such a manner.
Anyway, if you’re in the market for an incredibly quick electric sedan that isn’t one of the existing top-dog options on the market, the 2025 Audi RS e-tron GT starts at $168,295 including freight. Obviously, that’s in the upper echelon of sedans, but with this level of performance, that sort of pricing can be justified. Expect it to roll into showrooms soon.
(Photo credits: Audi)
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So I guess the white power meter doesn’t measure dark energy?
Anyway, what does this power meter measure? Is it how much power you’re expending i.e. torque or kilowatts, or is it an indicator of how much power you have left in the battery?
And whilst we are on that subject, not to pick on this fine article, it would be a whole lot easier to figure out if the units used were consistent. Of course, I realize that traditional automotive writing cares not for consistency of units but now that we’re dealing with electricity, it seems like a reasonable time to make a change.
912 horsepower is 680 kilowatts and a couple Christmas trees, or 340 hairdryers.
“peak DC fast charging current is 320 kW”
Huh? Isn’t current measured in Amps? I think you mean power, not current. I hope the voltage is pretty high otherwise the wires are going to be girthy. Is it 100 amps and 3200 volts, or 1000 amps and 320 volts ? Let’s just call it 260 hairdryers.
“new inverter capable of handling 600 amps” um, what voltage was that?
Well if the motor can turn ( which of course it can unless it’s stalled ha ha) that into 912 horsepower aka 680+ kilowatts, or 340 hairdryers then it’s at least 1334 volts but more likely a bunch more because heat. 1500? 2000 if you want to keep the heat reasonable I bet.
Um, 2000 volt pack?
“new hardware is also good for 400 kW of regenerative braking” 200 hairdryers of braking! That’s pretty hot! But why the 680 kilowatts of twist in one direction, but only 400 kilowatts in the other? ( I vaguely remember something about an offset of the rotor and stator that biases for one direction or the other. I also vaguely remember that being 19th century tech and modern controllers can change that on the fly, so I’m still wondering)
My formal electronics training ended in grammar school, except for some digital crap much later, so I may be more confused than I actually think. Maybe part of this system is three phase alternating current which would be a completely other kettle of boiling fish.
Anyway, a constancy of units would make this a lot easier to digest in a useful way whether kilowatts or hairdryers, or Joules or whatever.
Anyone else miss the Tapley meter results in the Road&Track tests?
Personally, I immediately disregard anything that can’t be expressed in football fields or Olympic swimming pools.
Yes it is a bit confusing of a read, though I’m betting some of it is copied from the official Audi information. The writer should have said that the maximum charge rate is 320 KW as that is what Watts are a rate. 800v is the highest voltage available at current chargers so my bet is that it is an 800v system. So the maximum charge current would be 400a.
Note that 600a is the inverter for the front motor only. I’m betting the rear is even larger.
In many modern EV’s the battery’s max discharge current is the limiting factor in both TQ and HP. so my bet is that if they give the specs of each motor the sum of their HP is going to be higher than 912.
If you look at the Lightning as an example with the smaller battery pack it has “only” 452 HP while with the big battery and the same motors and it is 580 HP.
“…the 2025 Audi RS e-tron GT starts at $168,295 including freight. Obviously, that’s in the upper echelon of sedans…“
The only that accelerates faster than this Audi will be its depreciation.
https://www.theautopian.com/if-you-bought-a-new-audi-e-tron-or-mercedes-eqs-im-so-sorry/
Audi may have this to keep Elon from trademarking the term in relation to EVs, because you know he’s maybe five years from that explicit a marketing tie-in.
You beat me to it. Also, “power is nothing without control” seems to tie it all up.
I’m not looking forward to “Arbeit macht Fun!” at all.
Audi, your Gesellschaft zur Vorbereitung des Deutschen Volkswagens mbH roots are showing.
This becomes more problematic when they release their track-focused variant, the Master Race edition.
Mercedes already let you put AMG models into Master Race mode.
There’s a reason Chevy can call their trims an SS but not the germans
If they wanted to do a tribute to the RS 2 Avant they could… have made it an Avant.
Anybody that actually gets upset over that press release is LOOKING for something to be upset about..
Nobody who would be excited about this can afford one anyway.
IDK, I’ve seen some rich white dudes that would be excited to buy such a thing. Just to find out it’s not actually what they were thinking it was.
I’m reminded of a Dennis Miller bit from way back when. He was talking about reviews of the movie Boyz N the Hood. David Duke’s take was “it wasn’t what he was expecting”.
Now that you’ve pointed this out it’s in consideration for attorney general. Thanks a lot!
Please don’t tell me the icon on the power mode switch is a fist.
Nope. Two stylized ‘S’s. Kinda look like lightning bolts.
Wow. That’s even worse.
Lightning for electricity, of course.
Does the navigation also tell you to always take the Third Reich?
It is a warning indicator that pegs when approaching Ivy League colleges, Freemason Lodges, Southern Statehouses, Silicon Valley, the Vatican, and Trump Rallies.
Idk man. Now that Silicon Valley is aging up into Landed Elite, there’s a rightward kick in their politics. Suddenly dodging capital gains, generational, or income taxes means a lot more to them than literally any other aspect of human culture or existence.
Considering current political affairs in Germany, and how piss poor VW is doing right now this is more ironic than anything else.
On a purely apolitical note:
Of all the colors you could choose for your gauges white is one of if not the worst color. Grey and black are in the running, but white at night is blinding, and the only one that might be worse from a practical standpoint would be black as it would need a bright background to contrast.
Why not make the gauges RGB FFS? The tech has existed for longer than I’ve been alive but somehow having white gauges is not only seen by Audi as a notable feature, but one to brag about.
.
The Nissan Maxima back in the 2000s did this well. The gauge faces were white with black markings and red needles. At night the backlight shone through the markings and the needles illuminated so it looked like white on black. Surprisingly effective, except at dawn and dusk.
My wife’s ’97 had those gauges. Looked cool and worked like a charm.
My ’10 Focus has this setup (this was during the car’s cheesy boy-racer styling period that I confess to getting a kick out of) and I agree, it works way better than I’d have expected.
Man, haven’t thought about that gen of focus in a while. I either don’t see em much anymore or I don’t notice them much anymore…Now I will see dozens on them. 🙂
My grandfather’s old Sebring convertible (an ’04) had the same sort of setup. Didn’t make it any sportier, but they looked and worked fine as you say.
Sure, but can I pair it to my i.beat Blaxx?
Holy crap, I can’t believe that’s real! Even better (worse), it’s also made by the German brand TrekStor.
Yeeeeeeup. I winced a little bit even making the joke.
I think it did come at a time when “black” and its derivatives were “in” for marketing copy and product naming, a bit like “pro” has been for the past few years, though pro seems to be sticking around.
There’s a sizeable difference between the White Power meter and the white Power Meter. Could have been worse. They could have said it’s now a black-faced display.
The Al Jolson edition?
“Our white instrumentation now includes a blackface option to cater to all customer’s preferences.. NO WAIT!”
That’s one way to get a tariff exemption.
No, no, it’s a typo. It’s a “white powDer meter”. As in, this is how much you’ll have to sell in order to afford this car.
Audis are the default ride for dealers though… My brother was selling is RS3 – guy wanted to pay in actual cash.
A white power meter from a VW product… very fitting xD
Between this and Mercedes AMG’s Master Race modes, I feel like ze Germans know notzing!
A great lesson in proofreading before you submit. 🙂
I know an engineer who got the job of proofreading an OEM’s press releases. He found so many technical errors that they…
…stopped letting him check them.
PR people know they are terrific, you don’t want to mess with that level of confidence.
Reminds me of when MotorTrend or Car & Driver had a long term Ram Power Wagon and had to tell their valet they were picking up a “white Power Wagon”
Musk is fuming that he didn’t think of the white power meter first.
Apartheidotron might still be available.
Someone shoulda told Audi that the elongated muskrat has the “electric cars for ‘anti-woke’ edgelords” market niche sewn up.
SO SO funny and again did a native English speaker proof read that sentence? If they did, fire them.
Perfect for spending those yuge Dogecoin profits – I mean it’s up to 39 cents today!
Well, it’s appropriate given the car’s German roots.
German roots but clearly made for the 2025 American market