Audi e-tron Tows GM EV1 to "Fully Charged Live"
I am so bummed that I wasn’t able to make it to Fully Charged Live in Austin, Texas this year! I’m hoping for a more midwest location for the next one. In the meantime, Audi of America hitched an e-tron up to a trailer containing a GM EV1 from Tulsa Tech in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and towed it 500 miles to Austin, Texas for the Fully Charged event. They combated cold and rain, both of which reduce an EVs range, to bring the first EV of the modern era to Texas. Read the press release below for more details. Enjoy!
Audi e-tron brings the first modern electric vehicle to 'Fully Charged LIVE'
-Audi e-tron SUV towed the first modern EV more than 500 miles from Tulsa Tech in Tulsa, Oklahoma, to Austin, Texas, for "Fully Charged LIVE"
-The all-electric Audi e-tron towed 4,000-lb. trailer, utilizing 150 kW fast-chargers along journey — replenishing 80% of battery’s charge in 30 minutes.
-Towing team included Audi Tulsa and Oklahoma Chapter of the Electric Auto Association
HERNDON, Va., February 13, 2020 – The Audi e-tron demonstrated how far EVs have come over the last quarter century, recently delivering the first modern EV to “Fully Charged LIVE” in Austin, Texas. The e-tron towed the trailer and payload, weighing a combined 4000 lbs., through the Oklahoma rain with comfort and efficiency.
Audi Tulsa and Audi ONE, Audi of America’s Herndon-based electrification strategy team, supported the all-volunteer Oklahoma Chapter of the Electric Auto Association in bringing the EV to "Fully Charged LIVE," picking up their payload from Tulsa Tech in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and hauling it more than 500 miles to the Circuit of the Americas, where the event was hosted.
Using CCS compatible fast chargers on both the Electrify America and Francis Energy charging networks, the Audi e-tron was able to replenish 80% of its battery’s capacity in just 30 minutes with high-speed 150 kW charging. With all the capabilities customers expect of a premium midsize SUV, the e-tron, when properly equipped, is rated to tow 4,000 lbs. and comes with standard quattro all-wheel drive and air suspension.
“EVs have long been a community-driven technology, as evidenced by the initiative of the Oklahoma Electric Auto Association to bring this iconic vehicle to our event,” said Chelsea Sexton, U.S. presenter of the “Fully Charged LIVE.”
Sexton added, “I’m grateful to the Audi teams and Tulsa Tech for their support and was excited to hop into the Audi e-tron for the journey.”
“We wanted to pay tribute to the EV that started it all, with the Audi e-tron towing it on our 500-mile journey from Tulsa to Austin,” said Cody Thacker, director, Audi ONE, Audi of America. “It’s easy to go electric today, and the e-tron’s capabilities show it’s more than capable of going the distance with a heavy trailer in tow, even in cold and windy weather conditions. We’re thankful to have partners like Audi Tulsa provide support and logistics and make this road trip possible.”
The Audi e-tron SUV is the first all-electric Audi vehicle offered in North America, having gone on sale last May. With up to 402 horsepower and 490 lb-ft of torque in boost mode, the five-passenger Audi e-tron is capable of accelerating from 0-60 mph in a quiet 5.5 seconds. It is priced starting from an MSRP of $74,800*.
“Fully Charged LIVE” is a two-day event launched by British actor, presenter and writer, Robert Llewellyn ("Junkyard Wars" and "Red Dwarf"). The Austin event featured an array of more than 100 electric vehicles, mobility experts and clean energy influencers. Its more than 3,500 attendees had the opportunity to see many of the latest vehicles and technologies in the EV and mobility space and enjoyed more than 30 presentations and panels on concerning topics like decarbonization of energy and transportation to pollution reduction.
