Audi is releasing a plug-in hybrid A5 in Europe, but it’s unclear what will happen with it in the US. The Audi A5 e-hybrid can go up to 68 miles on a single charge. It has an electric motor and a turbocharged four-cylinder engine that makes 295 or 362 horsepower. Based on the current exchange rate, the A5 e-hybrid starts at $67,000. The old Audi A4 was replaced by the new Audi A5, which came out last summer as a coupe and is now a fastback car. The new A5 looks sleek and has two engines: a turbocharged inline-four and, in the case of the S5, a turbocharged V-6. The dashboard has a lot of screens. Audi hasn’t said if the new A5 e-hybrid cars will be sold in the US, but it has already shown off a plug-in hybrid version of the A5. Both versions of the A5 plug-in hybrid will have a total output of either 295 or 362 horsepower. A synchronous electric motor that is always excited and can produce up to 140 horsepower works with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder turbocharged engine that can produce 248 horsepower. A seven-speed dual-clutch transmission is linked to the motor. Audi says that the A5 e-hybrid could go from 0 to 62 mph in 5.1 seconds with the more powerful version, which has 368 pound-feet of torque. Both types can go as fast as 155 mph, but the one with 331 pound-feet of torque needs 5.9 seconds to cover the same distance. Even though it’s only a little bigger, the new high-voltage battery that powers the plug-in hybrid system can hold about 45% more power than Audi’s old e-motor in the A6 PHEV. This is mostly because the cells are now glued directly into the housing instead of being in a battery block. This makes the battery more dense while taking up less room. The 20.7 kWh net capacity means that the range can go up to 68 miles. However, this is based on the more optimistic WLTP test cycle used in Europe. The EPA’s numbers would likely put the range closer to 57 miles. From 0% to 100%, the battery charges in 2.5 hours, and the fastest AC charging rate is now 11 kW, up from 7.4 kW in Audi’s old system. In addition, Audi says that its regenerative brake technology works better than its old PHEV system. The regeneration can be changed with paddles behind the steering wheel, but Audi says the A5 will be able to change it with the help of driver aid systems, navigation system route data, and traffic flow in front of the car. There are both “EV” and “hybrid” modes on the A5 PHEV. In “hybrid” mode, the driver can choose how much energy to store. In EV mode, the fastest speed is 87 mph. The A5 PHEV is the first car to use the new name “e-hybrid,” which sets Audi’s plug-in hybrids apart from the electric “e-tron” line. In Europe, the A5 plug-in hybrid will also come in a stylish wagon style, but Americans probably won’t be able to buy it. With the exchange rate as it is now, the base A5 e-hybrid will cost around $67,000 in Germany, and the more powerful type will cost around $76,000. It starts to deliver in April. Audi hasn’t said if it plans to sell the A5 e-hybrid in the US, but the plug-in hybrid version probably won’t come out until around 2026, since the standard A5 won’t come out until the second quarter of 2025.
