Software update brings range boost to Audi’s e-tron 55 quattro

A new software update will see an additional boost in electric range given to Audi’s e-tron 55.

Available to UK customers via a free-of-charge installation at Audi’s service centres, the update increases the usable capacity of the 95kWh battery in the e-tron 55 quattro. In the UK, 1,655 e-tron vehicles are compatible with the update, which brings an additional 12.4 miles of range.

Vehicles built between mid-September 2018 and the end of November 2019 qualify for the upgrade, which will also include a complimentary health check.

As well as an increase in range, the software update also optimises the performance of the front electric motor. For improved efficiency, this motor is now completely disconnected and powered off in normal driving, where the rear motor is the primary source of propulsion. It’s only when additional power is needed where both motors combine.

Andrew Doyle, director, Audi UK, said: “At Audi, we deliver progress through technology – and there’s no clearer demonstration of that than the free software and range update we’ve just launched for our existing e-tron 55 quattro customers.

“As we shift our focus to the world of electric vehicles, we’re channelling our pioneering spirit and world-renowned technological expertise into the reinvention of our company as a leading light in the field of sustainable mobility.”

Improved cooling also comes as part of the update, with the thermal management system – which consists of four separate circuits – now made even more efficient as it regulates the temperature of high-voltage components.