With the AI:TRAIL concert, Audi proved once again that with legacy comes experience and vision. The AI:TRAIL is Audi’s vision of what recreational vehicles will look like in the future and I for one am in love with that vision. This vehicle is packed with a tons of firsts, not least of which is that the AI:TRAIL is the first car to ever feature the Audi logo spelled out on its tail as opposed to the iconic three rings logo.
The fact that Audi AI:TRAIL is the first to wear an Audi name in the modern era caused a lot of discussion and controversy. However the conversations were not lost on the fact that the AI:TRAIL’s focus, function and design which we will get into. The AI:TRAIL is actually 335 mm shorter than the Q3 which means unlike the Tesla Cybertruck, the AI:TRAIL can comfortably fit in your garage.
The four electric motors have been pushed as far as possible to the corners in order to maximize its wheelbase, giving the AI:TRAIL some serious bonafide on an offload credibility. The only electric vehicle in existence that might be able to challenge the AT:TRAIL’s on and off-road capabilities is the Tesla Cybertruck.
The interior of the AI:TRAIL gives the passengers a panorama view of the surrounding nature — be it a downtown Los Angeles or a forest in the Pacific Northwest, the Grand Canyon desert sandscape, or a rustically romantic national park. Audi says the maximized transparency should give passengers a close connection to the outside world — while still allowing them to feel protected from its dangers.
The AI:TRAIL gets is power from a lithium ion battery with each of the electric motor is sitting beside the wheel it dries. That combination allows the AI:TRAIL to produce a whopping 430 hp and 738 pound feet of torque. The instant acceleration typical on electric vehicles means the AI:TRAIL can go from 0-60 in about 3 seconds. Thankfully, the large carbon ceramic rotors can just as quickly bring the AI:TRAIL to a stop when needed.
This layout not only delivers all wheel drive, it also vides the AI:TRAIL real time torque vectoring, unlocking the ability to conduct four wheel steering similar to the Rivian RT1, which allows the AI:TRAIL to effortlessly get around any obstacles it might encounter on or off-road.
The cabin of the eye trail is radically different. To begin with, the site lines are amazing. There are no blind spots. Secondly there is no conventional dashboard, not even the old digital dashboards that we have become used to on teslas and Carly available electric vehicles. Instead, it comes equipped with a docking station for your smart phone which handles everything from speed and navigation to it infotainment functions. This is radically different from what the market is used to but it works.
The AI:TRAIL’s suspension comes equipped with adaptive dampers which allows the suspension to be lifted by as much a 60 mm with the push of a button. This gives it a 340 mm of ground clearance which means the AI:TRAIL can sail through over 500 mm of water without shorting out the battery.
One of the AI:TRAIL’s most impressive and uniquely futuristic features can be found in the headlights and cameras. The headlights actually consists of five triangular drones that dock to the roof rack for the AI:TRAIL. The awesome part is that when needed, the drones can lift off and fly ahead of the AI:TRAIL to illuminate the road ahead using it’s matrix LED lighting. In addition, the cameras in a drone can be used to explore the train ahead so you know what to expect in the road ahead. I could really use this feature when stuck in Los Angeles traffic.
If Audi ever decides to pursue the AI:TRAIL beyond the concept stage, the future will be very promising for the AI:TRAIL. From it’s four wheel steering, to it’s 400 km of electric driving range, you can bet that I will be making a deposit if it ever comes available for pre-order. The helicopter cabin (somewhat similar to the Tesla Model X) ensures that the views from inside AI:TRAIL will be second to none. What do you guys think? Would you choose the AI:TRAIL over the Tesla Cybertruck?
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