Audi S1 e-tron quattro Hoonitron: these facts were secret at first

Eight months

Just under eight months after the project began, the Audi S1 Hoonitron should be ready for its first test drives and filming with Ken Block and his team. That was an ambitious task for Audi Sport in Neckarsulm and the Audi design team.

Electrikhana video

The sequel is more than impressive: since the release of the Electrikhana video – now three weeks ago – millions of viewers have watched the Audi S1 Hoonitron drift through the streets, casinos and parking garages of Las Vegas, with Ken Block behind the wheel.

Electrikhana

Facts and figures about the Audi S1 Hoonitron

Audi is also releasing facts and figures about the Audi S1 Hoonitron that were previously a secret. The figures relate to the weight distribution and dimensions, the electric powertrain and, of course, the power and torque of this electric drifting machine.

Weight distribution and dimensions

• Weight distribution between the front and rear axles is nearly equal at 52:48.
• The wheelbase of the Audi S1 e-tron quattro Hoonitron is less than 2.4 meters. This makes it significantly shorter than, say, an Audi A1 Sportback, Audi’s entry-level model that has a wheelbase of 2,563 millimeters. The short wheelbase increases cornering maneuverability, which is an absolute plus in Electrikhana stunts.
• The suspension with McPherson struts on the front and rear axles and more than 200 millimeters of suspension travel is specially designed for extreme use.
• With its basic concept, the Audi S1 e-tron quattro Hoonitron has ideal features for drifting and stunts on different terrains.

Electrical power

• The all-wheel-drive Audi S1 e-tron quattro Hoonitron is all-electric. It features two electric motors from motorsport; one on the front axle and one on the rear axle. 
• These so-called MGUs weigh only 55 kilograms each.
• Four high-voltage batteries from a standard Audi PHEV model – each with a capacity of 14.4 kWh – power the drive system and operate at 800 volts.

Lots of torque and power

• The electric power distribution between the front and rear axles is fully adjustable so that the driver can precisely influence the steering behavior himself.
• The two MGUs have a combined total power of 500 kW and torque of 640 Nm.
• Since the electric motors run at a maximum of 28,000 rpm, Audi’s engineering team defined a gear ratio of about 12:1 for Ken Block’s drifts. Taking into account some transmission losses, this results in about 3,000 Nm of torque per axle.
• Thanks to the extreme torque figures, it is possible for Ken Block to drift spectacularly and reach wheel speeds in excess of 200 mph.