Audi R8 E-tron breaks record.

"Well, it's certainly a more positive outlook than electric mobility being "for idiots" (remember that?) but Audi's new record certainly reinforces the "dynamics and driving pleasure" aspect.
In fact, Audi marks the 8:09.099 lap as another "milestone in its history", alongside its eleven Le Mans 24-hour victories. The most recent of those came from Audi's first hybrid race car, the R18 e-tron quattro.
The 375-horsepower R8 e-tron comes within a minute of the overall production lap record at the Nordschleife, currently held by the 700-hp Audi-engined Gumpert Apollo Sport."

http://www.greencarreports.com/news...-production-electric-car-record-at-nrburgring

I think this is great for electric cars. Making cars that look good and perform is something that is really needed for them to move forward. Electric or Hybird, I know I don't want something that looks like the Prius. That R8 I would drive.

Now if we can get electric/hybird cars that perform and are some what affordable then we will really have something.

James

 

For any that I read about you could charge them at home. So come with a charging station you can have installed at your house to speed charging.

James

 

I always wondered that myself. Because its great that it uses no gas but if it cost more to charge then it isn't any good for 99% of the people out there. But I have always heard that its much cheaper.

This article says its much cheaper.

"Nope, it won't. Plug In America estimates that it will cost $2 to $4 to fully charge an all-electric car. For that price, the EVs that will be hitting the market soonest, like the Nissan LEAF, will travel about 100 miles (160.9 kilometers). Of course, your mileage may vary -- in a couple of ways. The cost of electricity in your city will affect that price, and the way you drive your EV will affect how many miles you get per charge.

That said, let's do a little math. In Portland, Ore., where electric cars are gaining ground and the local utility is providing charging infrastructure, electricity runs about 6 cents per kilowatt-hour (kWh). The new Mini E, which is still in field trials, uses .22 kWh per mile, which translates to 22 kWh for 100 miles (160.9 kilometers) of driving. And in Portland, 22 kWh will cost $1.32.

Just to compare, the 2011 Mini Cooper that runs on gasoline gets 31 miles per gallon (49.9 kilometers per gallon) combined, according to the EPA, which translates to 3.2 gallons (12.1 liters) per 100 miles 160.9 kilometers). And if a gallon of gas is about $2.70, as AAA says it is today, then that same 100 miles (160.9 kilometers) would cost $8.64 in a Mini with an internal combustion engine instead of a Mini with a bank of batteries."

http://auto.howstuffworks.com/how-much-does-it-cost-to-charge-an-electric-car.htm

James

 

For road trips a hybrid is a must. A full electric would be a great city car. I'm just outside the city so it would work for me but I'm not sure if the extra cost of the car would be worth it.

James

 

Yeah, anything new is expensive. My stepfather bought one of the first cd rom players in the area. Paid about $600. There was about 6 titles available for it. About a year or two later I bought a cd rom drive, sound card, speakers and about 11 cds for under $400.

I like that they are making electric cars that are desirable. Once the sales numbers get up there then the prices will come down a bit. Hopefully sooner then later. Not sure if I would buy one but I would like to see the technology come down in price.

James

 

The Audi E-Tron is the first hybrid car to win the 24-hour auto-racing endurance test of Le Mans.
[More from Mashable: Futuristic VW To Hit the Streets, Gets 260 MPG [PICS]]
“This result is the fruit of so much hard work,” Beniot Treluyer, one of the drivers of the Audi said after winning the event. “We prepared well for the race, and Marcel, André and I felt more confident after our win in 2011. We also worked with the same technical staff, including our race engineer Leena and our mechanics. We are really motivated by the hybrid project. Today, I think we wrote a fresh page in motor racing history.”

http://news.yahoo.com/audi-e-tron-first-hybrid-win-le-mans-174003511.html

James

 

Audi's R-18 e-Tron diesel-electric hybrid has become the first car of its kind to win the Le Mans 24-hour endurance race. Audi and Toyota both submitted environmentally friendly racers, but the latter's LMP1 crashed, which left the German automaker to a 1-2 finish (while a pair of non-hybrid racers placed third and fifth, respectively). Unlike battery-based hybrids, the R-18 uses a hefty turbo-diesel V6 pushing power to the back wheels, along with a flywheel to recover braking energy and drive a motor attached to the front wheels. The company has revealed that it's actually testing this far cheaper, battery-free system in a production vehicle, so perhaps it's only a matter of time before you'll be able to go a full day on a tank -- give or take the odd rest stop.

http://www.engadget.com/2012/06/18/audi-e-tron-wins-le-mans/

James