First tests in Morocco for the Audi RS Q e-tron

The German manufacturer's hybrid car, which will participate in the Dakar next January, drove for the first time in Morocco under extreme conditions.

Published on 18/09/2021 à 12:04

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First tests in Morocco for the Audi RS Q e-tron

The Audi RS Q e-tron discovers the desert and the heat of Morocco. ©Audi Communications Motorsport / Michael Kunkel

For two weeks, Audi Sport headed to Morocco, into the desert, to test its new hybrid car, the Audi RS Q e-tron, under extreme conditions. Previously, the German manufacturer had carried out tests in Germany and Spain. To drive this brand new model, drivers Stéphane Peterhansel, Carlos Sainz and Mattias Ekström took turns behind the wheel, accompanied by their co-drivers Edouard Boulanger, Lucas Cruz and Emil Bergkvist. “For the test in Morocco, we made modifications so that the driver and co-driver have more space in the tight cockpit and can also communicate better with each other. The comments were positive » explains Andreas Roos, head of motorsport projects at Audi Sport.

©Audi Communications Motorsport / Michael Kunkel

Under 40°, and sometimes confronted with sandstorms, the tests in Morocco aimed to test the limits of the Audi RS Q e-tron. This made it possible to make adjustments, particularly for the high-voltage battery, a part developed for the 2022 Dakar. “It’s all about optimal temperature management and the ability to call up maximum battery performance. We learn with every test. And that's exactly why we go into the desert with an electrified drivetrain: we gain an incredible amount of experience that we share with our colleagues in road car development. » according to Andreas Roos.

If during the Dakar, temperatures should not be as high, these tests in the Moroccan desert made it possible to push certain components of the car beyond their limits. “Components such as the MGU, for example, were essentially not developed for use at such high ambient temperatures, but the powertrain and other components were also pushed to their limits or even beyond by the heat ". The Audi Sport team also realized that they still had a lot of work to do to be ready for the start of the race. “The information we have acquired in Morocco shows us that we still have a lot to do before the Rally Dakar and there is not much time left.”