In a highly appropriate publicity stunt, given the nature of the car, Audi sent their new electric SUV to Siemens Schaltwerk (Switchgear) plant in Berlin and had it zapped with many megawatts of electrical current. This is but one of the effort designed to create some hype for the Audi E-Tron Prototype in the run up to its official launch next year. 

Now, if you think you have heard this before, you are correct. This is a copy of a stunt Top Gear pulled off years ago when they sent Hammond to the same plant to get zapped in a Golf. Hammond and the Golf survived, as did the Audi E-Tron Prototype. Turns out this kind of simulated electrical storms have no effect whatsoever on the car’s functionality, and you will be safe too as long as you remain inside the car and touch nothing made of metal.

As for the highlights and features of the Audi E-Tron Prototype electric SUV, the car has a sophisticated thermal management system for the lithium-ion battery which is part of the reason it boasts a 248 miles (400km). That is excellent for an electric SUV by today’s standards. But the real party trick of the e-tron is its charging solutions.

Through a mix of ultra-fast charging and a vast and efficient pan-European charging grid Audi is working on, the owners of e-tron vehicles will be able to travel with peace of mind, plotting their journey and charging points on the specially designed myAudi app on the phone or in the car itself.