Prince William spotted in an Audi RS e-tron GT

MANILA: Prince William of the United Kingdom was recently spotted behind the wheel of his Audi RS e-tron GT.

According to Audi, the Prince drove the all-electric executive car when he visited his wife Kate Middleton, who was admitted to The London Clinic. To recall, one of the first instances the royal couple was seen in the RS e-tron GT was in October 2021 when they attended the Earthshot Prize awards ceremony at London’s Alexandra Palace.

Reports — Audi pointed out — indicate that the battery-electric car is part of the royal fleet and that charging facilities have been installed at the Prince’s residences.

The Earthshot Prize, for those who do not know, seeks solutions to environmental concerns. It has funded 50 winning projects around P3.940 billion from 2021 until 2030.

Presented by The Royal Foundation, the Earthshot Prize was spearheaded by none other than Prince William himself who cites his late grandfather Prince Philip and father King Charles III — both longtime environmentalists — as his influences in this eco-conscious initiative.

Powering the Audi RS e-tron GT are two electric motors that are able to churn out 646 horsepower with 830 Newton-meters of torque, sent to the quattro all-wheel drive system. The fancy electric vehicle draws energy from an 800-volt lithium-ion battery, which through the right charging equipment — such as the ones reportedly installed in the Prince’s abode — can be juiced up quickly.

The Audi RS e-tron GT electric coupe offers its owners an estimated emissions-free driving of up to 481 kilometers on a single charge, making it suitable for daily use and road trips, all while being mindful of Mother Nature.

Speaking of which, the Audi RS e-tron GT uses sustainably sourced materials for some of its components. As an example, the carpet and floormats of the vehicle are made out of Econyl — a material made from excess nylon fibers, including those taken from discarded fishing nets.

Car buyers opting for a leather-free design can also get the Audi RS e-tron GT with seats swathed in either a combination of artificial leather and Kaskade textile, or a blend of artificial leather and Dinamica micro-fiber. Kaskade and Dinamica, for the uninitiated, are made mainly from polyester sourced from upcycled PET bottles, textiles or fiber surplus.

On top of the Audi RS e-tron GT, the British royal family has in its garage an 80 Cabriolet, A3, A5 Sportback, A6, A7, S3, RS5, and RS6.

Photos from Audi Philippines

Also read:

Audi posts around 1.9-M global sales in 2023

Audi Q5 gets ‘Top Safety Pick’ rating from IIHS

Audi makes history at 2024 Dakar Rally