Audi is developing an all-electric successor to its R8 supercar, which will be released around the middle of the next decade, according to a new report from Autocar. While the new EV won’t use the R8 name, it will take the top spot in Audi’s lineup with higher performance than the e-tron GT.
While the electric R8’s successor has yet to receive final approval, Audi’s development is already underway.
The current gasoline-powered R8 is nearing the end of its life and is expected to be discontinued in 2023. Audi will not replace it with a gasoline car, but will transition its halo performance model to electric. The company plans to stop introducing new gasoline models after 2025, so since a successor to the R8 is planned for the “mid-decade,” it will have to be electric anyway.
The current Audi e-tron GT RS is actually the most powerful Audi ever built, with 637 horsepower – more than the gas-powered version. But it’s a four-door performance sedan, while the R8 is a dedicated sports car.
So the R8’s successor will also be built as a pure sports car – with two doors, a low roof and a lot of power. It will need to be better than the e-tron GT RS’s 637 horsepower and 3.2-second 100-kilometer acceleration time, plus it will have a battery large enough to support use on the track.
Audi hasn’t committed to building the car on a specific platform, but it’s likely to share some parts with Porsche, just like the current e-tron GT, which shares a platform with the Taycan. the R8 successor could share parts with the upcoming electric Porsche Boxster and Cayman, but of course, Audi still plans to hand-build some elements of the car.
