Audi details 2019 all-electric e-tron tech

Audi has released more technical details of its first pure-electric production vehicle, which has been created at least in part to steal sales from Tesla.

According to the German car-maker, the 2019 Audi e-tron will be powered by twin electric motors that combined produce 265kW/561Nm. Under hard acceleration, however, it features a battery overboost function that raises power and torque output to 300kW/664Nm for eight seconds.

Against the clock, Audi claims the e-tron is capable of reaching 100km/h in less than six seconds before hitting a limited 200km/h top speed -- that's some way behind its closest rival, Jaguar's recently launched I-PACE, which can nail the sprint to 100km/h in a rapid 4.8 seconds.

Powered by an energy-dense 95kWh lithium-ion battery pack, Audi claims the e-tron -- measured against the most stringent WLTP test cycle -- can cover 400km between charges.

As well as the glut of new technical information released on the e-tron, Audi also posted a new video demonstrating the battery-powered SUV's advanced energy recovery system that's claimed to be able to claw back an extra kilometre in range for every kilometre travelled downhill.

The clever system works by allowing the driver to replenish the battery using 'manual' coasting employing the shift paddles, by automatically predicting when to charge the batteries during coasting and when the driver is braking.

Audi says its energy recovery system is so efficient it can boost the SUV's range by a total of 30 per cent.

In fact, Audi says the e-tron is so reliant on using its electric motors as generators while the car is slowing to feed the battery, that it was forced to introduce a self-cleaning cycle for the brakes to avoid them becoming rusty through lack of use.

Audi has announced that it will reveal the e-tron on September 17 in San Francisco.