Audi RS Q e-tron, pictured above: This vehicle shown here is the Rally Dakar vehicle that is not available as a production model. Closed course, professional driver. Do not attempt.

Dakar Rally

Winning the world’s toughest desert rally with an electric drivetrain² was a much more unpredictable challenge than using electrified drivestrains² in circuit racing. Audi took on this daunting task with a special concept. The engineering team used the drivetrain technologies from Formula E and DTM to establish the RS Q e-tron¹ as a competitive and innovative rally car. In 2024, the brand achieved the first victory for an alternative drivetrain² at the Dakar Rally.

¹Audi RS Q e-tron, pictured above: This vehicle shown here is the Rally Dakar vehicle that is not available as a production model.

²The Audi RS Q e-tron combines an electric drivetrain with an energy converter system based on the TFSI engine and a generator.

Unforgiving environment

With a total distance of 7,900 kilometers, towering dunes, rough rally terrain and relentless impacts from extreme bumps on the chassis and drivetrain², the Dakar Rally places the highest demands on man and machine. The dust and often high outside temperatures not only put a strain on the participants, but also on the technology. Audi used the MGU from Formula E to place one motor-generator unit on each axle, front and rear, of the Audi RS Q e-tron¹, as well as one as a generator that was part of the energy converter. A high-voltage battery system with a capacity of 52 kWh supplied this drivetrain system. To charge the battery, Audi used an energy converter consisting of the highly efficient TFSI engine from the DTM in combination with the generator. A rigorous testing program and targeted continuous development allowed the RS Q e-tron¹ to mature into a winner within a short period of time.

A press picture showing the first- and second-generation Audi RS Q e-tron cars.

¹Audi RS Q e-tron, pictured above: This vehicle shown here is the Rally Dakar vehicle that is not available as a production model. Closed course, professional driver. Do not attempt. ²The Audi RS Q e-tron combines an electric drivetrain with an energy converter system based on the TFSI engine and a generator.

Audi RS Q e-tron¹

A cutaway view of the Audi RS Q e-tron that shows details of its alternative drivetrain.

¹Audi RS Q e-tron, pictured above: This vehicle shown here is the Rally Dakar vehicle that is not available as a production model.

²The Audi RS Q e-tron combines an electric drivetrain with an energy converter system based on the TFSI engine and a generator.

¹Audi RS Q e-tron, pictured above: This vehicle shown here is the Rally Dakar vehicle that is not available as a production model.

²The Audi RS Q e-tron combines an electric drivetrain with an energy converter system based on the TFSI engine and a generator.

First successes

Team Audi Sport recorded four stage victories during its Dakar debut in January 2022. Just six weeks later, the team achieved its first overall victory in the desert. Stéphane Peterhansel and Edouard Boulanger triumphed in the second round of the FIA World Rally Raid Championship, the Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge. Audi contested the 2023 Dakar Rally with an improved version of the prototype and recorded 14 podium results in the daily classifications, including two stage wins. Further outings and testing in Saudi Arabia, North Africa, Spain and France helped to continuously improve the RS Q e-tron¹ over the course of the year.

A picture showing the victory celebrations at the 2022 Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge.

¹Audi RS Q e-tron, pictured above: This vehicle shown here is the Rally Dakar vehicle that is not available as a production model. Closed course, professional driver. Do not attempt.

Breakthrough in January 2024

Audi won the Dakar Rally at its third attempt after thrilling competition from Toyota, Ford and the experienced Prodrive team. Spaniards Carlos Sainz and Lucas Cruz celebrated their fourth personal success in the desert classic after intelligently managing their lead right to the end in the battle against their strong pursuers, Sébastien Loeb and Fabian Lurquin. Over daily distances of often more than 400 kilometers, two marathon stages with limited or no service, 4,600 kilometers against the clock, and 7,883 kilometers in total, the Audi RS Q e-tron¹ ultimately won with a lead of 80 minutes. The Dakar victory with an electric drivetrain² was the next in a long line of milestones that Audi has set in motorsport. The successes of the quattro all-wheel drivetrain in rallying and circuit racing in the 1980s and 1990s, the victories of the efficient TFSI, TDI and e-tron quattro drivetrains at Le Mans, individual technologies such as the LED matrix light system or the Audi laser light in endurance racing, as well as titles and victories of Audi’s first electric racing car in Formula E, stand for technological and sporting masterpieces.

A picture showing Carlos Sainz and Lucas Cruz celebrating their 2024 Dakar Rally victory.

Gallery

You might also be interested in

A picture showing Audi race cars on display in Neuburg an der Donau.

Vorsprung durch Motorsport

The four rings and motorsport: a legendary combination. Audi continues to prepare to enter Formula 1 in 2026, and Audi Sport customer racing models compete worldwide in the hands of customer teams.

A picture showing three historic Audi race cars side by side on a banked racetrack.

Motorsport history

The rich history of Audi in motorsport includes more than a century of success, from the early beginnings, all the way through the decades racing both on and off the racetrack.

Audi Tradition

Audi Tradition brings the history of the company and the Audi brand to life to this day. Over 100 years characterized by the courage to innovation and change.

Formula 1

Audi is preparing to enter the premier class of motorsport in 2026: Formula 1. In doing so, the brand with the four rings is tackling its most challenging motorsport project to date.

Audi Sport customer racing

With race cars developed by Audi Sport customer racing, the brand with the four rings is represented worldwide by customer teams in GT3, GT2, GT4 and TCR competition.

Oblique view of the Audi RS e-tron GT in special FC Bayern wrapping

Audi in sport

Audi has been a close partner and sponsor of regional, national and international sport for decades. Find out more about our commitment to promoting talent and sponsoring established athletes and clubs.

Audi RS e-tron GT FC Bayern concept:Power consumption (combined) in kWh/100 km: 22.6–20.6CO₂ emissions (combined) in g/km: 0

Dakar Rally

Unforgiving environment

Audi RS Q e-tron¹

First successes

Breakthrough in January 2024

Gallery

You might also be interested in

Vorsprung durch Motorsport

Motorsport history

Audi Tradition

Formula 1

Audi Sport customer racing

Audi in sport

Topics

AUDI AG

Services