“I usually drive in ‘efficiency mode’”

One is always surprised how quiet it can be at the Audi Motorsport Headquarter in Neuburg an der Donau. Some distance away, a bird stands in the wind above the test track, lurking, as an Audi RS e-tron GT^* comes to a futuristic whirring halt at one of the charging stations next to the test track.

“I love the sound”, Tom Kristensen says as he plugs the Daytona gray Audi into the charging station. It's safe to say, he adds, that the Audi RS e-tron GT^* isn't exactly what you would call the quietest electric vehicle there is. You would clearly hear the "RS" in its name, which stands clearly for Audi Sport. “It's not necessarily my first electrified vehicle. Actually, my first one was a golf cart. I even had a road permit”, he continues. The contrasts could hardly be greater: The very functional golf cart in mind, before eyes the emotional Gran Tourer. At times the race driver Tom Kristensen, who, among other things, has won the 24 Hours of Le Mans nine times, seven of which with Audi, talks about efficiency, torque curves and weight distribution. For the racetrack, he says honestly, he would like the Audi RS e-tron GT^* to be lighter. But then there's the Tom Kristensen, who ended his active career in 2014. The family man who, as he says, “enjoys the serene travelling mode” in his Audi RS e-tron GT,^* which is also Daytona gray, in Hobro, Denmark. “It's impressive how confident and unagitated the GT is on the road in everyday use.” The e-sports car's weight actually benefits it.

Then it gets loud after all. On the dynamics area not far from the charging station, a group of an Audi driving experience^* learns to master special driving situations. “I highly recommend it,” Kristensen says. “An e-vehicle in particular can and should be driven differently,” he notes. Particularly in terms of efficiency, he says, it is helpful to know about “sailing”, that is decoupling the electric motor, or recuperation, that is the recovery of braking energy. He, too, would have had to gain experience first. “However, I would like to be able to have even more influence on the recuperation system so that more gradations were available. I'd love to talk to the engineers about that,” comes Kristensen, the racing driver through again. To note in the same breath: “I usually drive in “efficiency mode” in everyday life. My wife too.” For a little bit, especially at the beginning, they would have been worried about the next charging possibility, even in the well-developed Denmark. But that, too, assures Tom Kristensen, is all a matter of experience.

Three questions for Tom Kristensen on e-mobility

01. In your view, what role does electrification play in the future of mobility?
It certainly plays a decisive role with regard to efficiency and sustainability. However, I still see challenges, for example with the range, the weight of the batteries or the charging infrastructure. But as a racing driver, I'm also open to different technologies and approaches – and I'm currently seeing some exciting developments in the field of mobility.

02. What has changed for you since going electric?
My driving style and that of my wife have adapted. We are trying to drive even more predictably. This also has to do with the sound. You can hear the “RS” in the name, but Audi has managed to translate the balance between performance and efficiency into sound. The way the Audi RS e-tron GT drives^* and sounds gives me a certain kind of serenity.

03. What surprised you about your Audi RS e-tron GT^*?
I must confess, I just learned something new here today: I hadn't even noticed the luggage compartment under the front hood and the button in the driver's door strip to open it. I immediately sent a photo to my wife. Until now, we have always stowed our charging cable in the trunk. But it's much better off up front.