A new software update will extend the range of MY 2019 or 2020 Audi e-trons by up to 20 kilometers. This means that Audi isn’t limiting efficiency increases to new models, but also boosting the efficiency of cars already on the road. The update is now available and can be installed at Audi service centers.

At the same time as the premiere of the e-tron Sportback, Audi rolled out a technology update with improved range for its first electric model series at the end of 2019. As a result, the current model year Audi e-tron 55 quattro can travel up to 441 kilometers (274 miles) on a single battery charge (WLTP cycle). In addition to modified hardware, optimized software was the main factor contributing to the range increase.

Effective immediately, the software features behind this efficiency enhancement are also available for existing vehicles. Among other improvements, the update expands the usable capacity of the high-voltage battery.

As a result, the 95 kWh battery in the Audi e-tron 55 quattro1 delivers more net usable power—86 kWh capacity therefore translates into increased range. The software update for all Audi e-tron 55 quattro production vehicles built between mid-September 2018 (model year 2019) and the end of November 2019 (model year 2020) can now be installed free of charge at Audi service partners.

Efficient motor control, improved thermal management. In addition to the battery capacity, the new software also optimizes the control of the front electric motor. In normal driving mode, the motor attached to the rear axle is responsible for propulsion. For improved efficiency, the front electric motor is now almost completely disconnected and powered off; only when more power is needed do both motors come into play. This makes it possible to exploit even more effectively the major advantage of the asynchronous motor concept—i.e., currentless operation without electrical drag losses.

Furthermore, the update also improves cooling. The highly flexible thermal management system, which consists of four separate circuits, regulates the temperature of the high-voltage components even more efficiently. Modifying the control system made it possible to reduce the volume flow rates in the coolant circuit, thus reducing energy consumption. The cooling system is the basis for fast DC charging, long battery life, and consistent driving performance, even under high loads.

Audi’s first fully electric car has been manufactured at Audi’s net-zero carbon-neutral site in Brussels since the end of 2018. By this spring, the e-tron had already surpassed 100,000 units sold. In Norway, the model was the best-selling car across all drive types last year.