Audi to Produce E-Tron GT with R8 at Specialized Plant in Behringer Hefe

Audi's E-Tron GT is nearing production with pre-production models being assembled by workers at the specialized Böllinger Höfe factory in Neckarsulm, Germany. The first customer vehicles are expected to go off the line at the end of the year.

At this plant, Audi builds the R8 supercar and various racing models. The plant needed to be expanded and upgraded to support Audi's first German-made EV, the E-Tron GT. The current E-Tron and E-Tron Sportback SUVs are produced across the border in Belgium.

One important upgrade is a new body shop where Audi staff work closely with robots to assemble the E-Tron GT's high-strength steel and aluminum body. Impressively, all planning for the expansion and outfitting of the Behringer Höfe plant was done virtually and was greatly aided by the use of VR headsets.

The plant is also unique within the Volkswagen Group in that for the first time two technologically different cars will be produced on the same line. Both models will move around the plant using either automated sleds or a common monorail system.

Once the cars are complete, they will undergo a 25-mile test drive covering both suburban roads and highways. Here, expert staff test performance and ensure that all moving parts fit together correctly without rubbing or creaking on the cobblestone roads. The car is then tested with water to check for leaks, followed by a final test in two consecutive light tunnels to check for joint defects, gaps, and paint defects.

The E-Tron GT shares the J1 platform with the Porsche Taycan; the E-Tron GT is expected to employ a 96-kilowatt-hour unit, the largest battery designed for the platform, and electric motors on each axle. The platform's fast-charging capabilities will allow E-Tron GT owners to charge the battery to 80% in about 20 minutes; the EPA-standard range will likely be around 200 miles.

Also, not to step on the toes of its Porsche siblings, the E-Tron GT's peak output is expected to be around 590 hp, placing it between the Taycan 4S and Taycan Turbo; a more powerful RS version of the E-Tron GT will probably appear early in its life cycle.

The E-Tron GT is expected to debut later this year; it will go on sale next year as a 2022 model.