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Audi has just revealed their all-electric E-Tron A3 concept car and unlike some of their past ideas (like the E-Tron Type C ^[4]) this vehicle ^[5] is no exercise in design – it’s a market-ready no-emissions automobile ^[5]. Audi says their E-Tron A3 concept has a single-charge battery range of about 87 miles and rumors are that the car could hit the market as early as 2013.

The e-tron A3 concept is powered by a 26.5 kWh lithium-ion battery which sends its power to an electric motor that propels the car. Audi says that the car will be able to recharge fully on a 400-volt rapid charger in about four hours, while a full recharge from a regular 120-volt charger will take about nine hours. This new A3 concept joins a list of other e-tron electric vehicle ^[5] concepts and was based almost completely on the gas-powered Audi A3 Sportback.

From the looks of it, this concept car is intended to be a functional vehicle — Audi opted to go with their hatchback vehicle instead of one of their more sporty cars for this electric foray. The e-tron A3 can go from 0 to 60 miles per hour in about 11 seconds and has a top speed of about 90 miles per hour. The e-tron A3 concept was most likely developed at Audi’s Ingolstadt plant where their electric-motor developing labs are located — the plant features a roof filled with solar panels that generate power for the factory.

Via International Business Times ^[6]