How Audi’s electric RS Q E-Tron rewrote the rules of the world’s toughest race
Published on Oct 08, 2025 at 12:48 PM (UTC+4)
by Henry Kelsall
Last updated on Oct 08, 2025 at 4:20 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Mason Jones
German manufacturer Audi used the electric RS Q E-Tron EV to rewrite the rules of the Dakar Rally.
The Dakar Rally, formerly the Paris-Dakar, is perhaps the toughest race in the world, taking in terrain all across places such as Africa, South America, and even Saudi Arabia.
Audi won the 2024 edition of the race, its first victory, with the RS Q E-Tron, which made it the first electric car to win the event.
While it has since pulled out of Dakar, it proved that electric vehicles can take on the toughest motorsport event in the world.
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What powered the Audi RS Q E-Tron?
Initially, the EV rally car was a Frankenstein’s monster creation.
Audi plucked two MGU05 powertrains from its Formula E cars.
These were earlier versions of the one Supercar Blondie, Alex Hirschi herself, drove.
They then placed them on each axle, and the E-Tron created 383hp.
To get through stages of up to 600 miles, Audi ripped out a TFSI engine from a DTM race car.
They then mated the engine to a generator.
This converted gas to electricity and provided a boost to the 52kWh battery.
The TFSI engine kicked in when the battery ran low, and it would recharge the battery at around 5,000rpm.
There were plenty of experienced drivers at hand to take the reins of the new electric beast.
Two-time World Rally champion Carlos Sainz headlined the lineup.
The others were Audi factory driver Mattias Ekstrom, and Dakar’s most winningest driver, Stephane Peterhansel.
Third time lucky for Audi at Dakar
Upon its debut at the 2022 Dakar, the speed was evident with the new car.
Each driver took stage wins, and the car finished ninth overall with even higher hopes for 2023.
Yet it wasn’t able to consistently unlock the speed that was available to it that year.
Punctures and crashes hindered progress
Only Ekstrom’s car finished the event, down in 14th place.
But it was the third time lucky for the German manufacturer.
In 2024, Sainz and co-driver Lucas Cruz took the manufacturer’s and the car’s first win at the event.
They were 80 minutes ahead of the nearest rival, Guillaume De Mevius, in the Toyota Hilux
It was also Sainz’s fourth Dakar Rally victory in total.
Having done what it had wanted, and with its Formula 1 entry looming, Audi withdrew from the Dakar for 2025.
Thus, a brief but brilliant tenure for one of Dakar’s most extraordinary cars was over, and on the biggest of highs.
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Henry joined the Supercar Blondie team in February 2025, and since then has covered a wide array of topics ranging from EVs, American barn finds, and the odd Cold War jet. He’s combined his passion for cars with his keen interest in motorsport and his side hustle as a volunteer steam locomotive fireman at a leading heritage steam railway in England.
