2014 Audi R8 V10 Plus on 2040-cars

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Recharge Wrap-up: Audi A4 TDI in US, Local Motors' 3D EV sales

Local Motors plans to begin selling its 3D-printed electric cars in 2016. The Arizona-based startup will begin by selling a neighborhood electric vehicle, called the Reload Redacted, in the first quarter of 2016, with a full-speed version to follow. The design for the car, submitted by Kevin Lo, was chosen by a panel from a pool of entries. The company plans to set up microfactories to build the cars at a fraction of the cost of setting up a traditional automotive manufacturing facility. Now, Local Motors is looking at ways to quicken the 3D-printing process, a task that currently takes days for a single vehicle. Read more at NBC News, or in a blog post from Local Motors. Audi will bring a diesel variant of the A4 to the US for the first time as a 2017 model. The new A4 is slated to go on sale in March of 2016. In addition to the gasoline-powered 2.0-liter TFSI motor, the A4 will be available with a 2.0-liter turbocharged diesel motor, providing 190 horsepower and 236 pound-feet of torque, mated to a seven-speed S Tronic dual-clutch transmission. Audi has not yet release fuel economy figures or pricing. Read more at Hybrid Cars. A company called EV Charging USA has announced its entrance into the marketplace. After a research phase, EV Charging has launched a services division to provide consulting services to the electric vehicle industry, particularly to charging networks looking to expand into new markets. EV Charging says it helps companies evaluate existing charging locations and make decisions about new locations, equipment and installation vendors. With charging industry revenues expected to grow to $2.9 billion by 2030, EV Charging USA sees potential for its services worldwide. Read more in the press release below. EV Charging USA Inc. Enters National & International Sector CHICAGO, July 8, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- EV Charging (OTCQB: EVUS) today announced its entrance into the EV Charging marketplace. The company after extensive research has elected to launch an EV charging support related services division. The company reviewed a multitude of research and announcements by some of the top automobile producers and researchers in the world, such as BMW, Chevrolet, Tesla, Nissan, Ford and other major automobile manufacturers.

European RS6 Avant ad features diesel-hybrid R18 racecar

We'd be just as happy to casually walk back to an RS6 Avant as anybody, but Audi's commercial for its fastest ass-hauling wagon takes casual to another level. The RS6 isn't even seen until more than two-thirds of the way through the 46-second German commercial, but Audi seduces us long before that with the R18 E-tron Quattro diesel-hybrid endurance racer juxtaposed into scenes of everyday life. Since when can you be picked up at the airport or drive peacefully to a riverbed in a racecar?
The German automaker cashed in on childhood dreams its nearly flawless endurance-racing pedigree big time for the advertisement - and it works, even though we realize the RS6 drinks gasoline and isn't a hybrid. It does have Quattro four-wheel drive, however. But the commercial makes us want the beautifully pragmatic long-roof with 550 horsepower all the more, especially since Audi currently has no plans to bring it to the US. Please say it ain't so!
Even if the US doesn't get an RS6 Avant, we're happy to indulge in commercials like this. Be sure to watch it below.

Audi A3 E-Tron goes carbon neutral with German green electricity deal

Audi is proving that the fresh water flowing through the European Alps isn't just for bottling and drinking anymore. The German automaker struck a deal with Hamburg-based LichtBlick to offer buyers of the Audi A3 Sportback E-Tron a chance to get their electrical juice from all renewable-energy sources. That means all the power going into charging stations can come from hydroelectric power from Germany, Austria and Switzerland. The nuts and bolts part of it is that users pay the equivalent of about $12.30 a month plus 37 cents per kilowatt hour for the service. And LichtBlick is indeed legit, as it has been certified by TUV Nord for having at least one third of its power come from hydroelectric plants that are were built less than six years ago. Audi is looking to boost sales from a model it unveiled at last year's Geneva Motor Show. The car pairs a turbocharged 1.4-liter four-cylinder engine with an electric motor that combines for 250 horsepower. Most importantly, the A3 E-Tron gets a combined fuel economy rating of 157 miles per gallon. And while that figure comes from the more generous European driving cycle, it's impressive nevertheless. Check out Audi's press release below and read the Autoblog Quick Spin here. Audi and LichtBlick offer green electricity CO2-neutral mobility with Audi energy TUV-certified green electricity from the energy provider LichtBlick As an accompaniment to the market launch of the A3 e tron*, Audi is offering customers in Germany green electricity – Audi energy. The cooperating partner is the Hamburg energy provider LichtBlick SE. With Audi energy, the A3 e tron is totally emission-free when operated electrically. The power all comes from renewable energy sources and is generated exclusively at hydro-electric power stations in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. The Audi A3 e-tron can be recharged when parked at your home with Audi energy. At the same time, the entire household is supplied with eco-friendly electric power. Audi energy is currently available for a basic monthly fee of EUR 8.95 and 26.76 cents per kilowatt-hour. The origin and quality of the green electricity are certified by TUV Nord. The "OK power" seal of quality also confirms the expansion of power generation from renewable sources: at least one-third of the electricity comes from hydro-electric power plants less than six years old. Providers of this green electricity do not make use of federal subsidies pursuant to the German Renewable Energy Act (EEG).