Third-Gen Audi R8 To Be All-Electric With Up To 1000 HP

The third-generation Audi R8 is set to ditch its naturally-aspirated 5.2-liter V10 engine in favor of an all-electric performance that will lift the vehicle’s performance to new heights.

Autocar asserts that the new Audi R8 will take inspiration from the recent PB18 e-tron Concept. That vehicle utilizes a 764 hp electric powertrain and Audi’s believes it can reach 186 mph (300 km/h) and accelerate to 62 mph (100 km/h) in a touch over two seconds. The new R8 will offer even greater performance.

It is claimed that the vehicle’s electric motors will be so powerful that the car will deliver in excess of 1000 hp funneled through all four wheels. This should result in performance on par with the likes of the next-generation Tesla Roadster and Rimac C_Two.

Say goodbye to the Audi R8 you know and love.

It remains to be seen why Audi has made the decision to overhaul the R8 so radically but it does signify the rise of performance-focused electric powertrains and the slow death of internal combustion engines without any electric assist.

Interestingly, all of the R8’s current rivals are expected to become hybrids at the start of next decade, rather than all-electric monsters. For example, successors to the McLaren 720S, Lamborghini Huracan, and Ferrari 488 GTB will all be hybrids. Evidently, the next Huracan will be the only vehicle from the VW Group competing in this segment.

Before the new Audi R8 arrives, a selection of other all-electric Audi models will launch. The first of these will be the E-tron Sportback, a sibling to the E-tron crossover that’s just around the corner. After those two models hit the market, Audi Sport will unleash its first electric model, dubbed the E-tron GT and produced as an alternative to the Porsche Taycan.