Faster In Every Sense Of The Word

The electric vehicle world is moving at warp speed. But maybe not every EV needs a brand-new generation every couple of years, especially when they possess enough joie de vivre already. This is the case with the 2025 Audi RS E-Tron GT, the German brand’s flagship performance sedan representing the peak of its high-performance EV technology. 

But the updates here do mean something. Packing a larger battery with improved cooling over the previous 2024 model, plus more power, faster charging, some significant chassis tuning, and less weight, it’s come up with something quite compelling. Especially from behind the wheel; this beast will hit 60 mph in less than 2.5 seconds.

Photo by: InsideEVs

I recently had the opportunity to experience this during the ‘25 RS E-Tron GT’s first North American press drive in Las Vegas, Nevada. Between having a short test track, plus a good variety of in-town and twisty rural roads at my disposal, I got a good sense of what this $168,295 sedan is all about. 

While it's almost $20,000 more expensive than before, it does more than ever—and more quickly than ever.

2025 Audi RS E-Tron GT: What Is It? 

It’s almost hard to believe the E-Tron GT is nearly five years old now. Launched at the end of 2020 as Audi’s second EV model (third, if you separate the Q8 E-Tron and Q8 Sportback E-Tron) and a close cousin to the Porsche Taycan. If you wanted a premium, coupe-like, ultra-quick grand tourer with crazy good fast-charging times, you really couldn’t go wrong with either.

Photo by: Audi

So like the Taycan, the E-Tron GT gets a slew of updates this year. The most significant change to the 2025 RS E-Tron GT is its face, though casual observers will most likely have to do a double- or triple-take. The dimensions of its honeycomb mesh grille design are ever-so-slightly larger, and the four-ring emblem is now blended into a flat panel, rather than standing atop a plane in front of an intake. Actually, make that a quadruple-take. It’s not much of a change, though it is presumably more aerodynamic. 

Audi also offers forged carbon inlays on either side of the lower bumper area, which looks more aggressive and motorsport-inspired over the previous model, and the same material can also make up the side mirrors and rear diffuser.

Photo by: Audi

Optioning this package costs $8,400 and includes handsome 21-inch wheels with summer tires, plus a lot more forged carbon inside. Otherwise, the only other noticeable changes include new paint choices, some sporty new wheel designs (I’m partial to the 21-inch double-spoke RS units), and new materials for the interior.

Honestly, it’s refreshing to see that Audi didn’t do much to the RS E-Tron GT’s overall look, as it’s such a beautiful design that really pulls its weight (pun lightly intended) as the brand’s peak performance offering.

Photo by: Audi

The interior itself is rather chic, too. The GT’s sport seats were some of the most comfortable that I’ve ever sat in, and their position was nicely hunkered down below the belt line. The center infotainment screen measures out to a modest yet appreciated 10.7 inches, and is surrounded by solid-feeling materials and ample Alcantara throughout, though a bit too much piano black plastic on the center console.

Photo by: Audi

A handful of highlighted buttons made quickly selecting different drive modes a breeze, and steering wheel controls, such as radar cruise control and haptic buttons for stereo volume, were laid out in a logical manner.

2025 Audi RS E-Tron GT: Specs And Performance

By and large, the 2025 Audi RS E-Tron GT’s biggest changes over the 2024 model are found underneath. It now sports an 800V 105 kWh (97 net) battery, 11.6% larger than the 2024 model. Range is rated at 249 miles, which is to be expected of such an extreme performance car.

Photo by: Audi

It also packs a maximum charging rate of 320 kW instead of 270, and reaches 80% charge from 10% in just 18 minutes at this figure. That’s 3.5 minutes faster than before, so like the related Taycan, you can get back to smoking tires pretty quickly if you find a powerful enough charging station.

Photo by: Audi

However, the whole system is 25 pounds (11 kg) lighter—no easy task in this industry—and its charging profile is more efficient, dropping off from its peak initial charging rate far more gracefully compared to the old iteration. Significantly improved cooling between the cells is to thank for all of this, and the system’s now able to maintain its highest charge rate up to 95 degrees F (35 degrees C) as opposed to 59 degrees F (15 degrees C), previously.

As far as power reaching the ground, the front motor features a revised pulse inverter and improved electronics, while its sibling out back is brand new and possesses higher copper density in its windings, a more compact rotor, and all in a package that’s 22 lbs (10 kg) lighter.

Photo by: Audi

The whole unit is dimensionally smaller than the one it replaces, and puts out 107 more horsepower. Total system output peaks at 912 horsepower, up from 637 in the previous model, and is responsible for a curb weight of 5,137 lbs. For those keeping score of large, electrified high-performance German hardware, that’s less than the latest BMW M5 PHEV, yet capable of producing nearly 200 more horsepower.

What’s The 2025 Audi E-Tron GT Like To Drive?

Let’s get something out of the way: The 2025 Audi RS E-Tron GT is very fast. Insert the expletive of your choice, fast. According to Audi representatives, the development team was able to reduce its published 2.4-second 0-60 mph lunge down to 2.1 seconds on track, where we got some time behind the wheel. And I certainly believe it. 

Photo by: Audi

I’ve driven a wide variety of very fast high-performance vehicles over the years, but none have given me tunnel vision from the jump like this—it relentlessly pulls until it’s time to brake, which with me behind the wheel was 132 mph just before a braking zone that felt barely big enough. 

Unfortunately, that peak 912 horsepower is only available when you configure it to launch with a button on the left side of the steering wheel, but to use a turn of phrase that’s often slathered in hyperbole, it truly was like engaging hyperdrive in Star Wars. There’s a new top dog in town for scrambling your friends’ and family’s inner ear equilibria.

Photo by: Audi

The RS is amply fast in the corners, too. Independent double-wishbone suspension joined by two-chamber air suspension at each corner delivered excellent composure and ride quality in all driving scenarios, yet with barely any body roll once the road got twisty on a short stint in the mountains above Las Vegas. The steering ratio was bang-on and response was excellent, though, weight was just OK. I would’ve preferred a bit more weight/resistance, and sadly this wasn’t customizable in the GT’s drive modes.

Photo by: Audi

For 2025, an entirely new suspension system is available: active damper control, dubbed Active Air Suspension by the four-ringed brand. This sway bar-less system utilizes two motors to pump pressurized hydraulic fluid to chambers in each corner's damper—one motor for compression, the other for rebound—giving it remarkable handling dynamics.

Like a cyclist, motorcyclist, or even high-speed ICE train from Audi’s native land, it leans into the corner, giving it impressive body control. If the car is taking a left-hander, there’s more pressure in the driver-side dampers’ upper chambers, where compression is controlled, while there’s more pressure built up in the passenger side dampers’ lower chambers, where rebound is controlled.

Photo by: Audi

Not only that, this system alters pressures depending on pitch, too, meaning under acceleration and braking. Under braking, the lower chambers receive more pressure up front, whereas the upper chambers receive more in back. Then, vice-versa for acceleration. With it switched on, it mostly just floated through corners and under braking, and felt incredibly solid at pupil-dilating speeds. It completely threw my concept of cornering grip and G force through a loop, but thankfully my tester’s sticky 285-front and 305-rear Summer rubber was well up to task.

Photo by: Audi

This sensation comes at quite a steep cost, though: $11,000. It’s possible Audi realized that with great cornering speed comes great responsibility, as 16.1-inch front and 14.4-inch rear ceramic brake rotors are included. These are handy for the open road, too, as the RS channeled its German sports sedan heritage quite thoroughly: It felt incredibly solid and unbothered at Autobahn-level speeds. Not only did this slender beast have no trouble getting up there, it feels downright placid doing so.

Finally, around-town driving was equally relaxed, and having such power on hand made quick and easy work of slicing and dicing through afternoon Las Vegas traffic. 

Photo by: Audi

Audi’s native navigation system was a bit convoluted and laggy, but luckily, quickly ripping U-turns was made easy by the RS’ short 38.1-foot turning circle, which is made possible by its rear wheels turning up to 2.8 degrees.

Early Verdict: A Forward-Thinking Flagship

The 2025 Audi RS E-Tron GT is a great step forward for the brand and platform, and represents some very impressive engineering. Its base price may reach nearly $170,000, but hopefully, the rest of the brand’s lineup follows suit in battery technology, exterior styling, motor design, and other features that move the ball forward in its electrified catalog.

Photo by: Audi

A standard 2025 Audi S E-Tron GT starts at a somewhat more attainable (maybe?) $125,500, and it still packs 670 hp and the ability to hit 60 mph from a stop in 3.3 seconds. That car also comes with 300 miles of range when equipped with 20-inch wheels but also has the same battery improvements and crazy-good charging speeds. It may be the better all-around deal, but the RS is where it’s at.

Sadly, I wish I’d had more time on track to get more familiar with a cornerstone of Audi’s killer app: quattro all-wheel drive. According to Stephan Reil, Chief Technical Engineer for E-Tron GT and Head of Research and Development at Audi’s Neckarsulm facility, the RS’ electrified drivetrain will drift, do donuts, and engage in basically every form of high-performance four-wheel-drive hijinks. With so much power on-hand, it’s gotta be a freaking riot, and hope I someday get the chance to find out. 

Photo by: Audi

It’ll be interesting to see if any of this will make its way into lower models, such as its enthusiast-centric mid-size and compact sedans. But one thing is for sure: the future certainly is bright for battery-sourced high-performance.

Peter Nelson is a contributing writer for Motor1 and InsideEVs. His work has appeared on The Drive, Winding Road, Car Bibles, HotCars and more. 

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Source: Audi