Audi RS Q E-Tron E2 Rally Car Evolved for Dakar

A new evolution of the Audi RS Q E-Tron rally car is headed to the Dakar Rally in 2023.

The RS Q E-Tron, which has the suffix E2 after Audi's Group B rally cars of the 1980s, features redesigned bodywork, tweaks to optimize energy efficiency, and ergonomic upgrades, Audi announced in a press release Thursday announced.

"The Audi RS Q E-Tron E2 does not feature a single body part from its predecessor," Axel Leffler, the car's chief designer, said in a statement. The cockpit is wider and the exterior panels have been redesigned to improve aerodynamics. The front fenders are positioned away from the body instead of blending into the doors, and the body itself has a new shape that resembles a boat hull. Audi claims that these changes will reduce the drag coefficient by 15% and make tire changes easier.

The revised class rules raised the minimum weight from 4,409 to 4,629 pounds, but the previous RS Q E-Tron model was overweight, so engineers still wanted to reduce weight. New front fenders helped with that, and changes to the rear hood eliminated some of the air ducts. According to Audi, the weight was further reduced by changing the carbon fiber layup of the body panels.

Like the original version, the RS Q E tron E2 is powered by one electric motor per axle, with the combustion engine acting as the generator. However, following a short-term excess of energy during the race, Audi modified its energy management software to extract more efficiency from the powertrain.

The air conditioning system was also adjusted to work more efficiently. Audi found that the coolant was running so frequently that it was freezing, so it was returned to an intermittent mode. The modified system operates with less energy while keeping the cockpit cooler.

As before, the cockpit has a panel with multiple display screens and 24 switches. However, to reduce confusion, engineers added a rotary knob with four settings (stage, load, error, and configuration) that cover the most important functions.

The Audi RS Q E-tron E2 will make its competitive debut in the 2022 Morocco Rally, scheduled for October 1-6, with a three-driver combination: drivers Matthias Ekstrom/Emile Bergqvist, Stephane Peterhansel/ Edouard Boulanger, and Carlos Sainz/Lucas Cruz. The Moroccan event will serve as a preparation for the 2023 Dakar Rally, which is scheduled to start on New Year's Eve in Saudi Arabia.