Audi has announced plans for its first e-tron pilot program in the U.S. The Audi A3 e-tron, an all-electric variant of the A3 hatchback will reach a small number of consumers in select markets as part of Audi’s pilot program for alternative systems. The automaker will deploy a fleet of all-electric A3 hatchbacks in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Washington D.C. and Denver later this year to test the hardware underpinning its future electric vehicle efforts. This pilot program is designed to allow engineers to monitor the effects of climate conditions, driving patterns and energy performance. The A3 e-tron comes packing a 26.5-kWh lithium-ion battery pack good for a range of 90 miles, with a 100-kW (around 130 horsepower) motor driving the front wheels and putting out 199 pound-feet of torque.

Source: Autoblog