Audi Urban Concept again, this time with photos and detail

Audi Urban Concept EV- just a posh toy car

It looks like we may have to dub the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show the EV Go-Kart show, such is the proliferation of fun – if ultimately rather pointless – electric go-karts. And today, just ahead of its debut, we get real photos and decent detail on the Audi Urban Concept EV.

We’ve had the teasers for the Audi Urban Concept and a set of CGI images a few weeks ago, but now we get photos of the real car (is car the right word?) and some detail about its powertrain and abilities.

We already know the Urban Concept comes in two flavours – the regular Urban Concept and a Spider version and that both are powered by an electric powertrain and offer 1+1 tandem seating. No we also know that the Spider is completely open and that the ‘Sportback’ has a canopy that slides up and to the rear for getting in and out.

And it’s small, just 126.7 inches long, 66 inches wide and 46.8 inches high. Inside, the Urban Concept is rather minimalistic – a necessity, say Audi, for ultra low weight – and the driver sits in front and to the left of the passenger in a fixed seat with the pedals and steering column moving to suit.

With a body made of carbon fibre-reinforced polymer (CFRP), a CFRP monocoque and the interior with lots of aluminium and CFRP the Urban Concept tips the scales at just 480kg, which is just as well as the electric motors are only good for 20bhp and 35lbs/ft of torque.

The lithium-ion battery – weighing in at 90kg and counting for almost 20 per cent of the Urban Concept’s total weight – lives behind the seats and takes about an hour to charge for a range of 45 miles. It takes 16.9 seconds to get to 62mph.

But really, the Audi Urban Concept isn’t a car, it’s a toy. Just a few short years ago we’d have laughed at a major car maker taking such a daft idea seriously.

We still should.

(28 photos – click any thumbnail for full gallery)

By Cars UK