Audi Prepares For The 2022 Dakar Rally By Testing The RS Q e-tron

On the way to its debut at the Dakar Rally in January 2022, the team of Audi Sport has completed an 8 day endurance test of the Audi RS Q e-tron on gravel sections of the kind typically used in cross-country rallies. All three of Audi Sport's driver teams took part in the test in Aragon. Dakar record winner Stephane Peterhansel and his co-driver Edouard Boulanger drove the first stint from Friday to Sunday. Mattias Ekstrom and Emil Bergkvist took over the Audi RS Q e-tron on Monday for the next two test days. Carlos Sainz and Lucas Cruz concluded the intensive trials.

On the 16.8 km long gravel sections, the Audi RS Q e-tron achieved a top speed of 185 kmph.  

On the 16.8 km long gravel sections, the Audi RS Q e-tron achieved a top speed of 185 kmph. In addition, temperatures of up to 34 degrees centigrade in the shade marked an initial litmus test for the cooling concept of the complex vehicle.

"This test was focused on getting in as much driving as possible and detecting weak spots," development engineer Arnau Niubo Bosch said after more than 1,600 kilometres of testing in extremely harsh conditions. "The next test in September will take us into the dunes for the first time."

he high-voltage battery that has been newly developed by Audi Sport is recharged while driving via an energy converter  

The Audi RS Q e-tron uses an all-electric powertrain with two motor-generator units (MGU) from Formula E. The high-voltage battery that has been newly developed by Audi Sport is recharged while driving via an energy converter consisting of the efficient TFSI engine from the DTM and another MGU.