Audi has dipped its toe into the high-end best e-MTB market and has taken inspiration from the RS Q e-tron Dakar 4x4 racer, which won four stages of the Paris-Dakar Rally in 2022. The e-MTB comes with quite the mouthful of a name, officially known as the Audi Electric Mountain Bike powered by Fantic.
Their electric mountain bike is a limited edition and available as part of Audi’s Genuine Accessories range, with Audi seeing the electric bikes as the next step forward in the brand’s effort to offer alternative means of e-mobility.
As luxury carmakers see the potential of electric-powered bikes and are beginning to take e-bikes seriously, the Audi e-MTB comes hot on the heels of Porsche's acquisition of the e-bike drive company Fazua, considered a pioneer in the development of lightweight and compact drive systems.
Porsche debuted their eBike Cross last year which was developed in cooperation with Rotwild, the German company that is well known for manufacturing some of the best enduro bikes. With the addition of Fazua, Porsche continues to expand their electric bike expertise and already owns a majority stake in the Croatian e-bike brand Greyp, soon to be known as Porsche eBike Performance.
Other notable brands like Mercedes Benz and Lexus have also developed e-bikes and Lamborghini has dipped into the all-terrain market with their front suspension Crosser and Hybrid Sporter models. It's an exciting development as luxury car manufacturers swap four wheels for two and rev up the electric mountain bike market.
Audi UK director Andrew Doyle sees their electric mountain bike as Audi’s commitment to “sustainable premium mobility” and added, "The Audi electric mountain bike in cooperation with Fantic is another fantastic example of how we can expand our mobility offering to customers that extends beyond the award-winning models they drive. Electric bicycles are the arguably greenest mode of electric transport and are far greener than electric cars when you take into account the lifecycle emissions and the extracted materials – particularly the lithium used in batteries."
Audi has specced their new e-MTB with some of the best mountain bike components from the likes of Öhlins, SRAM, Renthal and Mavic. Matched up to a light aluminum frame it comes in three sizes S, M and L. This is fitted with a Fantic 720Wh battery, which is integrated into the frame and powers the Brose S-Mag 36 Volt 250 motor offering a claimed 90Nm of torque.
Priced around the same as some of the leading brands electric mountain bikes at $10,100 / £8,499 / €8,900 which is also about the same price as the Porsche eBike Cross, and half that of the supercar priced, Lamborghini Crosser.
The Audi has suspension from Öhlins, with a rear shock and front fork with 180mm of travel. A SRAM GX Eagle groupset, with a mullet wheelset from Mavic and their E-DEEMAX wheels rolling on Vittoria e-Mazza front tire and e-Martello rear tire.
Ample braking power comes with IN.CA.S disc brakes with 220mm front rotor and 203mm rear rotor. Renthal bar and stem, a dropper post and Selle Italia Novus Boost EVO saddle completes the enduro-inspired Audi Electric Mountain Bike powered by Fantic (yes, they really called it that).
Audi Electric Mountain Bike powered by Fantic spec
- Frame: Aluminum
- Fork: Öhlins RXF38 M.2 29, travel 180 mm
- Shock: Öhlins TTX 22M T205x65, Feder
- Drivetrain: SRAM GX Eagle, 12 spd
- Motor: Brose S-MAG 36 Volt 250 Watt, 90 Nm
- Battery: Fantic Integra, Lithium 36 Volt, 720 Wh
- Wheels: Mavic and their E-DEEMAX
- Tires: Vittoria e-Mazza front, Vittoria e-Martello rear
- Price: $10,100 / £8,499 / €8,900
