Audi PB 18 E-Tron Concept Car Unveiled At Laguna Seca

Audi has presented a design and technical concept car at Pebble Beach Automotive Week in Monterey, California in the form of the all-electric Audi PB18 e-tron. Aesthetically, the Audi PB18 e-tron is broad, flat and is visibly inspired by the wind tunnel and the race track. The concept and exciting lines were created in the new Audi design studio in Malibu, California - where the brand's design is updated for the future. The technical concept of the PB18 e-tron has benefitted from Audi's many years of winning the Le Mans racing series and the experts at Audi Sport GmbH were responsible for its implementation. The abbreviated name 'PB18 e-tron' refers to the Pebble Beach venue for the premiere and the DNA it shares with the LMP1 racing car Audi R18 e-tron.

(Audi PB 18 E-Tron Concept)

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Gael Buzyn, Head, Audi Design Loft said, "We want to offer the driver an experience that is otherwise available only in a racing car like the Audi R18. That's why we developed the interior around the ideal driver's position in the center. Nevertheless, our aim was to also give the PB18 e-tron a high degree of everyday usability, not just for the driver, but also for a potential passenger."

At first sight, the Audi PB18 e-tron shows its kinship with another spectacular concept car from the brand - the Audi Aicon from 2017. While the Aicon was designed as a fully automated, long-distance luxury vehicle, the creators of the PB18 e-tron designed it as a radical driving machine for the racetrack and road. When the driver's monocoque is slid into the side position, there is ample room for a passenger. An additional seat can be accessed on the other side, integrated low above the ground and comes equipped with a three-point seatbelt. The driver also benefits when getting in and out from the easily accessible outside position of the monocoque which can be moved when the door is open up to the sill.

(Audi PB 18 E-Tron Concept)

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Visually, the Audi PB18 e-tron gets a flat red band of lights that extends across the entire width of the rear and underscores the horizontal orientation of the vehicle body. The cabin is placed on the broad shoulders of the wheel arches. The rear diffuser air outlet has been raised high, while it can be moved downward mechanically to increase the downforce. The rear spoiler, which normally is fixed, can be extended rearward for the same purpose.

The front is dominated by the signature hexagon shape of the Single frame grille, with an emphatically wide and horizontal cut. The brand logo is placed above at the front of the hood, in the typical Audi sports car style. Large air inlets to the left and right of the Single frame supply the necessary cooling air to the brakes and the front electric motor. Wide and flat light units with integrated digital matrix technology and laser high-beam headlights complete the face of the PB18 e-tron.

The Audi PB18 e-tron concept uses three powerful electric motors - one up front and two in the rear. The latter are centrally located between the steering knuckles, each directly driving one wheel via half-shafts. They deliver power output of up to 150 kW to the front axle and 350 kW to the rear - the Audi PB18 e-tron is a true Quattro, of course. While the maximum output is 670 bhp, the driver can temporarily mobilize up to 764 bhp. The combined torque of up to 830 NM allows acceleration from 0 to 100kmph in scarcely more than 2 seconds.

(Audi PB 18 E-Tron Concept)

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The Audi PB18 e-tron can also be charged cordlessly via induction with Audi Wireless Charging (AWC). This is done by placing a charging pad with integral coil on the floor where the car is to be parked, and connecting it to the power supply. The wheels measure 22-inches in diameter and are fitted with 275/35 tires in the front and 315/30 in the back. Large carbon brake discs with a 19-inch diameter, in conjunction with the electric brake, safely and steadily decelerate the Audi PB18 e-tron even in tough racetrack conditions.