Electrohydraulically integrated brake system

The technical prerequisite for the efficient recuperation properties in the Audi Q8 e-tron* is the brake-by-wire braking system – it completely decouples the brake pedal and brake hydraulics. When the driver presses the brake pedal, the system calculates whether the generators’ recuperation power is sufficient for the desired deceleration or whether it’s necessary to use the disc brakes on the front and rear axles. Audi was the first manufacturer in the world to use this electrohydraulically integrated brake control system in a mass-produced electric-drive vehicle, when it introduced the e-tron series.

Many Audi front-wheel-drive models come equipped with sporty suspension technology as standard. The ESC stabilization program with electronic limited slip differential is an intelligent software solution.

The brake assembly matrix from Audi provides the appropriate components for each model. Powerful performance, extreme robustness, low weight and state-of-the-art technology are the features common to all of them.

Alloy wheels from Audi are elegant, high-quality and lightweight. After all, Audi has made lightweight design a top priority in wheel development, too. Various methods are available to achieve this. Many designs today are being produced using flow-forming technology. This is a process in which the rim well of a cast wheel is rolled out over a cylinder at high pressure and a temperature of over 300 degrees Celsius (572 degrees Fahrenheit). The system shapes the wheel blank in a single step, in a manner similar to a potter’s wheel. In so doing, it compresses the material, allowing a thinner wall thickness. The wheel becomes lighter and at the same time sturdier. Flow-forming wheels are several hundred grams lighter than conventional wheels, depending on their dimensions.

Safety, efficiency, comfort and precise handling characteristics – these are the primary qualities of the tires that Audi develops for its cars and installs in the factory. This holds true for every model for tires ranging from 15 to over 20 inches in the diagonal and from just under 200 millimeters (7.87 in) to over 300 millimeters (11.81 in) in width.

Many models from Audi are equipped with a tire pressure monitoring system that is integrated into the electronic stabilization program (ESP). This is a system that measures indirectly, has no sensors of its own in the tire and thus adds no weight and requires no maintenance. It alerts the driver in the event of pressure loss by displaying a warning on the onboard monitor. If only one tire is affected, the position of the tire is indicated. The system also detects a gradual loss of pressure through diffusion in all four tires, resulting in a higher rolling resistance and increased fuel consumption.