Many car enthusiasts are excited about the upcoming 2021 Audi e-tron GT. The forthcoming electric vehicle offering from Audi has a bold look and cutting-edge design that will allow it to charge fast and perform consistently. The 2021 e-tron GT will feature an electric motor on each axle to produce a combined 590 hp and create an all-wheel-drive experience like no other.

How do those two motors work together to produce more power? What else does the 2021 Audi e-tron GT have to offer eager fans?

The 2021 Audi e-tron GT

The Audi e-tron GT was developed along with the Porsche Taycan, and they share some ties as a result. Both are sleek four-door sedans that are sure to turn heads. The Audi e-tron GT distinguishes itself from the Porsche Taycan with defined, elegant bodywork and a detailed front end. It’s low to the ground and minimalistic.

A test version was spotted in Europe earlier in 2020. It appeared to be complete with a rear spoiler and final headlights and taillights. On the concept car, the charging ports were at the front fenders. The Taycan, which shares the same architecture, also has dual ports.

The interior utilizes recycled materials, and it makes smart use of digital displays on the dash. While specific standard features aren’t yet known, it’s anticipated that there will be ambient lighting in the cabin, quad-zone climate control, heated and cooled front seats with massage capability, wireless charging, a head-up display, and much more.

The e-tron GT shares a lot of dimensions with Taycan including the 114.2-inch wheelbase. There’s generous passenger space too. There’s 4 cubic feet of cargo space in the front trunk plus 16 cubic feet of space behind the back seats. With the vehicle’s hatchback opening, that’s pretty handy.

Audi has announced that production of the 2021 Audi e-tron GT will begin later this year with deliveries coming early in 2021. 

Dual engines and incredible power

The 2021 Audi e-tron GT will offer two electric motors, one at each axle, for a total of 590 hp in an all-wheel-drive configuration.  

It can reach 60 mph in just 3.5 seconds. In just over 12 seconds, it can get from 0 to 124 mph before it maxes out at 149 mph, which is electronically controlled. It can reach 60 mph in 2.4 seconds in its top Turbo S configuration. It was the third-fastest car the team at Car and Driver tested as of late 2018 when they had access to the concept car.

With the 90-kWh lithium-ion battery pack, the e-tron GT has a range of 249 miles per the WLTP cycle. It’s an 800-volt system that lets you charge the battery back up to 80 percent in just 20 minutes. That’s enough charge to get you almost 200 miles in range, which is impressive in such a limited period of time.

The e-tron GT uses Audi’s quattro all-wheel-drive system. There’s also an advanced cooling system used that allows the battery pack to cycle through multiple runs with losing anything in acceleration. 

How does it measure up to the Tesla Model S?

So how will the 2021 Audi e-tron GT do against the Tesla Model S? 

Elon Musk’s electric cars took us into a new era. When the Tesla Model S debuted in 2012, it was the first long-range, fully-realized electric vehicle. Other automakers have been trying to compete since then. 

Tesla saw the competition coming. According to a known “Tesla hacker” who has unearthed Tesla information correctly before, the 2021 Model S will be redesigned and offer three motor options. The Plaid three-motor powertrain Elon Musk has referenced will possibly feature in the 2021 Tesla Model S. It’s said that when it comes to speed, it can match Ford’s Mustang Shelby GT350 and Jaguar’s XE SV Project 8. 

The next level of straight-line performance since Ludicrous in 2016, Plaid has one of three electric engines running the front axle with the other two motors on the rear axle. The layout is similar to the Tesla Cybertruck. 

It’s rumored the interior of the Model S will change to a horizontal display format like Model 3. Hopefully, with the redesign, the interior will also be upgraded as materials and quality there both seem a little lacking. 

How the 2021 Audi e-tron GT and the 2021 Tesla Model S match up will depend on the Model S specs. If the rumors are true, Tesla may just be able to hold onto the top spot on the EV market. With the triple threat of the Plaid powertrain in the Model S, the e-tron GT may find itself outmatched. When it comes to design elements, they may be evenly matched. 

We’ll find out more about each of these impressive EVs as we get closer to the end of the year.