Apparently Audi is the first German manufacturer to release an all-electric sports car, as the production of the R8 e-tron at quattro GmbH in Neckarsulm has been confirmed for 2012. Mercedes SLS E-Cell is planned to launch a year later. With its four asynchronous motors – two on each axles – the R8 e-tron is permanently four-wheel-drive.

Those  electric motors develop a combined output of 230 kW (313 hp) and theoretical torque of up to 4500 Nm (3319.03 lb-ft) torque. It definitely has performance of a sports car, with a 0 to 100 km/h time of 4.8 seconds.

The only drawback should be the range, as after 250 km (155.34 miles) it’s out of juice. That’s not bad considering other EVs of the time, but still not enough for the real world.

Aesthetically, the car’s identical to the regular R8, but inside the cabin you get a a graphic display for showing the driving mode. The display lies between the two large round instruments, with the left one presenting the recuperation status and the output.

Audi R8 e-tron still have a long way ahead of it and things might change in the production model, but all in all it seems very promising.