Audi has had quite an agreeable reaction to the new A8 as production for their flagship sedan has increased. A new iteration is just around the corner in the form of a hybrid and if the fuel efficiency numbers are to be believed, this is quite the technical achievement.
Audi is claiming that the new A8 hybrid will get an efficiency score of 6.4 L/100 kms. And what makes it even more impressive is that the A8 hybrid uses a 2.0 litre TFSI engine which makes 245 horsepower and 345 pound feet of torque. So while it won’t be the most powerful A8 ever made, it certainly is no slouch.
The A8 hybrid has a lithium-ion battery which stores energy and can use it to power the wheels up to three kilometers at as much as 60 km/h. Once up to highway speed, the A8 can run on the battery alone at around 100 km/h.
While 6.4 L/100 kms is not Prius levels of efficiency, it’s pretty much at Ford Fiesta levels of efficiency which is incredible considering how much the A8 weighs and considering the power plant under the hood. It’s especially impressive considering it absolutely slaughters the efficiency of the regular gas-only A8 which is rated at 13.3 L/100 kms city and 7.2 L/100 kms highway. The A8 hybrid’s closest competition is the BMW Active Hybrid 7 which is rated at 10.2 L/100 kms. The BMW offers much more power though with 440 horsepower and 480 pound feet of torque.
Which would you rather? The more efficient but less powerful Audi or the more powerful but less efficient BMW?
[Audi]
