2015 Audi A3 e-tron Joins Carbon-Offset Initiative

audi a3

There’s more good news on the green front, as it turns out that the 2015 Audi A3 plug-in hybrid—aka, the Sportback e-tron—will offer its own version of a carbon-offset program when it debuts later this year, only it will be part of a three-pronged environmental effort being positioned as “Audi energy.” 

Now, as some readers may recall, we covered a carbon-offset program for the 2015 VW e-Golf yesterday, and with the Audi brand actually owned by the Volkswagen Group, it’s not a complete surprise to learn that the four-rings team would get involved in a similar effort, and with the same partner (3Degrees).  But it’s also no shock to learn that Audi pushes ye olde envelope a bit further with the 2015 Audi A3 plug-in. The result?

 A comprehensive Audi energy program that features:

• Purchasing of carbon-offset certificates in California and Africa to “balance” some of the greenhouse-gas emissions associated with production and distribution of the 2015 Audi A3 Sportback e-tron
• Working with Bosch Automotive Solutions to offer Audi-designed level 2 home chargers to “qualified owners” of the 2015 Audi A3 e-tron
• Development, with the SunPower company, of a residential solar power system that will be offered to all Audi owners in all 50 states—not just drivers of the 2015 Audi A3 plug-in hybrid

Other details of the 2015 Audi A3 Sportback e-tron are still to come, but original, European-based performance estimates included snappy acceleration, with a 0-60 time of 7.6 seconds and a terminal velocity of 138 mph, along impressive efficiency: By leveraging advanced plug-in hybrid technology, the 2015 Audi A3 e-tron can cover more than 30 miles in its electric driving mode, squeeze out an additional 550 miles of range with its onboard, gas-powered engine, and see an “average fuel consumption” rate of 156.81 mpg.

Said Wayne Killen, general manager of Product Strategy and Launch for the brand: “The 2015 Audi A3 Sportback e-tron will offer drivers an eco-conscious vehicle ownership experience. Audi energy takes this to the next level with solutions that allow for sustainable fuel driving and a lower carbon footprint. We believe this will be one of the most comprehensive offering in the industry today.”