Audi RS e-tron GT: Australian pricing confirmed for two grades of Ingolstadt’s Porsche Taycan rival

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The 2022 Audi e-tron GT will land in Australia priced from $181,700 before on-road costs as the brand’s new four-door electric flagship to rival the Porsche Taycan and Tesla Model S. 

In e-tron GT land the halo RS – which stands for Rennsport – is the big daddy and will sit above the e-tron GT Quattro in the range, with both set to hit Australian showrooms in September 2022. 

The RS e-tron GT offers up to 475kW of power for 2.5 seconds when using launch control, which gets the EV sedan to 100km/h in 3.3 seconds. 

Further headline figures include a 487km WLTP range (for the Quattro) and the ability to match the Taycan’s 270kW ultra-rapid DC charge speeds.

With the success of Porsche’s Taycan not only overseas but also in Australia (with 531 units shifted last year) Audi will bolster its growing lineup on luxury electric vehicles which began with the e-tron large SUV.

Director of Audi Australia Paul Sansom said of the e-tron: “this is an Audi unlike any other that have gone before it… The e-tron GT and RS e-tron GT look stunning, offer incredible dynamic performance, but most significantly, they do this while emitting zero emissions.”

What will the RS e-tron GT be like to drive?

Audi’s flagship EV uses the same ‘J1’ platform as Porsche’s Taycan, though it should have its own character according to Audi.

The RS e-tron GT’s headline power figure is 475kW but in reality the pair of electric motors produce up to 440kW/830Nm when not using launch control. That neatly slots the Audi RS e-tron GT between the Taycan 4S (390kW) and Turbo (500kW) not only in grunt, but also in price with its $249,700 list price.

Meanwhile the e-tron GT Quattro gets the same dual motor configuration, but its maximum outputs are 330kW/630Nm (with 390kW in boost mode) and it boasts a 0-100km/h time of 4.1 seconds.

Notable differences between the e-tron and Taycan include a coefficient of drag that climbs to 0.24cd (the Porsche is 0.22), while the three-chamber air suspension and standard-fit adaptive dampers are tuned to Audi’s specifications.

Just like the Taycan, the Audi has rear-wheel steering and a two-speed transmission connecting the rear motor to the driven wheels which lowers energy consumption on the highway. 

Figures from NEDC testing show an average consumption of between 19.3-20.2kWh/100km for the RS e-tron GT, almost identical to the 19.3kWh/100km achieved by the Tesla Model S Performance. 

The Audi RS e-tron GT can be DC fast-charged at up to 270kW which means you can recuperate 100km of driving range in just five minutes, and charge from five to 80 percent in 22 and a half minutes. A full charge gives 472km of range in the RS e-tron GT.

During the first six years of ownership, the e-tron GT includes free public charging on the Chargefox network which include chargers capable of up to 350kW.

Another benefit of the e-tron’s J1 platform is the 800-volt electrical system is the ability to AC charge up to 22kW in conjunction with Audi’s charging box that will launch shortly. 

A more standard AC 11kW wall box is available at launch which will take around eight hours and thirty minutes for a full charge and home installation by Jet Charge is included in the price of the e-tron GT.

Inside the RS e-tron GT

Compared to the endlessly customisable Porsche Taycan, the e-tron’s cabin doesn’t offer the same myriad material choices for buyers. 

There are clear links to other Audi products, so unlike BMW’s iX electric large SUV the learning curve should be fairly small. The RS e-tron GT runs a 10.1-inch central touchscreen with very familiar-looking software, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto and there’s a 12.3-inch interactive digital driver’s display. 

The e-tron’s navigation is programmed to take into account charge levels and work out the best route to take between destinations using public charging infrastructure if needed. 

The e-tron Quattro features 20-inch alloy wheels, three-zone climate control, leather upholstery and heated front seats (with vegan dinamica suede-cloth optional), a 16-speaker Bang & Olufsen 3D stereo and head-up display.

Moving into the RS model adds ‘Sports Seats Pro’ upholstered in Nappa leather with ventilation, carbon fibre interior trim and flat-bottom steering wheel.

To differentiate the RS model from the exterior are 21-inch alloy wheels, the tungsten-carbide coated iron brake discs and red brake calipers. The RS also scores an active limited-slip differential on the rear axle with a carbon fibre roof optional

The Audi RS e-tron GT is on-sale now from $181,700 and customer deliveries will begin arriving in September this year. 

Audi RS e-tron GT: prices in Australia

All prices listed are before on-road costs.

• e-tron GT Quattro: $181,700
• RS e-tron GT: $249,700