Exclusive drive: Audi R8 e-tron

Potential punters of this £850,000 plus all-electric supercar will be disappointed that they cannot walk into a local Audi dealership, count out the deposit and be a proud owner of one of the most rapid battery-powered machines on the market. That's because the R8 e-tron will not go into production but, despite this, the German marque invited a select few to a closed airport in Berlin to try out their innovation, which pushes the boundaries of electric propulsion...

What is it?

Some will recognise the familiar body shape but this can't be seen as simply an R8 with an electric motor and an enormous battery pack. Audi engineers have rebuilt the machine from the ground up and that means liberal use of carbon fibre throughout the driver's cell and chassis, lightweight aluminium used in the underpinnings and even the replacement of the rear window with a carbon fibre screen. Extreme weight saving has been the name of the game, shedding any excess pounds to balance out the colossal weight of the massive battery pack and electric motor.