Audi e-Tron Cannonball Run Attempt: Range & Fast-Charging Tested

How does the e-tron fare on a very long road trip and how is Electrify America’s fast-charging network?

A power trio of automotive aficionados decided it was a good idea to jump in an Audi e-tron and make the coast-to-coast trek from the Redball Garage in New York City to the Portofino Inn in Redondo Beach. This is known as a Cannonball Run.

For those unaware, the Tesla Model 3 currently holds the electric car Cannonball Run Record, at about 45 hours. The two previous records, both in Model 3s, sat at about 48 hours and 50 hours. You can check out coverage of all those records below.

The three gentlemen that made the recent Audi e-tron Cannonball Run record attempt were Kelley Blue Book’s Micah Muzio, Josh Ostrander from Ride.Tech (which is Kelley Blue Book’s sister site that focuses on future mobility), and Jeff Glucker, co-founder and Executive Editor at Hooniverse. Glucker explains:

“We picked up our Audi e-tron and set about preparing for the trip ahead. The car was fitted with smaller 19-inch wheels prior to our arrival, and then we pumped the tires up to 50 psi. In the back, a pair of full size spares ate up most of our luggage space.

When planning such a trip, you start with what you’re assumed range will be and then you throw that out the window. We arrived in New York City to find the first real cold snap of the season. Temperatures were dropping below 40 degrees, which means our available driving range also began to dip.”

The e-tron can charge at speeds as fast as 150 kW. The drivers exclusively used Electrify America’s network of charging stations to take advantage of fast charging speeds. Unfortunately, charging the Audi up quickly wasn’t always the case, and they had to head further south than they wanted to in order to hit charging stations throughout Texas, due to Electrify America’s current availability.

At a total average speed of about 50 mph, and a moving average of 86 mph, the coast-to-coast trip took 60 hours and 36 minutes. Glucker admits that this wasn’t really an attempt to break the current record, but to prove that the trip is possible with a non-Tesla EV and without the Supercharger network. Once Electrify America’s rapidly growing network gets a bit more coverage in some areas, and the weather is warmer, a better time should be easy to achieve.

Video Description via RideTechNews on YouTube (above⇑):

NYC to LA in an Audi E-Tron – Cannonball style! | Ride Along

We’re here to drive from New York City to Los Angeles, and we’re doing it in an electric car. The plan is to drive an Audi E-Tron from the iconic Redball Garage in NYC to the Portofino Inn on the sand of Redondo Beach.

This path was blazed by faster cars. Their engines drinking gasoline. Air mixes with the fuel, is compressed, and the resulting combustion propels those who seek glory from one coast to the other. Our end goal is the same as the Cannonball runners, yet our path is forged differently. No fuel will be pumped, outside of the sort needed to keep our own physical bodies alert, aware, and awash in the adventure presented by the open road.


Video Description via Kelley Blue Book on YouTube:

2019 Audi eTron – Coast to Coast

In the spirit of cross country high speed record setting, think Cannonball run, KBB’s sister site Ride.Tech thought it would be a “wise” idea to drive an Audi e-Tron coast-to-coast, testing both vehicle as well as the high-speed charging network from Electrify America. KBB’s Micah Muzio was dragged by his luxurious hair into the effort. Watch it now. You know you want to.

For the latest Audi e-Tron pricing and information:
https://www.kbb.com/audi/e-tron/

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