Cutaway of Protean In-Wheel electric motors.

Cutaway view of fuel cell drive on B-Class F-Cell sedan.

Nissan LEAF cruising street in San Francisco.

NEWS

FRI

16-Nov-2012

PHOTO CAPTION: Audi A3 electric prototype.

Audi A3 e-tron Is Electric with Hint of 'Old School'

Forbes' columnist Todd Woody gets his hands on Audi A3 electric car for short drive around San Francisco.

When it comes to electric cars even such futuristic vehicles as Tesla Motors’ Model S retain some anachronistic affects of an earlier automobile age. For instance, Model S drivers can turn on a “creep” function (via a 17-inch touchscreen) that mimics a gasoline-powered car’s tendency to roll forward when you lift your foot off the brake.

But no one goes old school like Audi when it comes to adding a side of fossil-fuel comfort food to electric cars’ nouvelle cuisine. When I got behind the wheel of the Audi A3 e-tron prototype on Wednesday, I searched in vain for the on/off button that typically starts electric cars and hybrids.

Instead there’s a physical key in the “ignition” that you turn to fire up the lithium-ion battery pack. And don’t expect any high-tech touchscreens to get on your inner Captain Picard. We’re talking strictly analog here, including the “fuel” gauges that shows range and battery capacity. In other words, the A3 e-tron pretty much looks like the gasoline-version of the sporty four-door hatchback that’s a favorite among the art director eyeglass-wearing set.

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