Audi A1 E-tron takes the win at the Silvretta Electric Car Rally

Audi and its electrified A1 E-tron took an overall win at the Silvretta Electric Car Rally in Austria on July 9. It was the second year in a row the company won the contest. Last year's event was won by the company's R8 E-tron electric car.

The three-day rally covers about 190 miles of Austria's Montafon region. The name "Silvretta" refers to a group of mountains in the eastern part of the Alps. The course has continuous altitude changes including inclines of up to 15 percent. The race saw 32 alternative-powered cars, among them an Audi Q5 HFC with a fuel cell. Audi's second car placed sixth but led among fuel-cell-equipped vehicles.

The A1 was driven by the head of electromobility strategy at Audi AG, Franciscus van Meel, and co-driven by employee Gerhard Gruber.

On day one, the team drove cautiously, according to van Meel, and finished with power to spare. The team won the second day overall and came in second on day three, which was enough to take the overall victory.

The event is basically a design and technology exercise for Audi. The company is studying mobility requirements for a future concept. The A1 has a 75-kilowatt electric motor powered by a lithium-ion battery. It can be quick-charged in 30 minutes and fully charged in three hours on a standard outlet. The range, according to Audi, is 31 miles.

The trick part is the one-disc, 254-cc rotary engine located under the trunk. It adds 15 kilowatts of output solely to charge the battery.

By Jake Lingeman