Range and performance are top of mind for Canadian drivers who are considering ownership of an electric vehicle. A sustainable lifestyle is the goal, but so is the desire to get behind the wheel of a car that delivers a thrill.
Audi is leading on both fronts with the e-tron lineup, an embodiment of the company’s innovative approaches. Alexander Sinora, who in 2022 was named one of Canada’s 50 ‘Changemakers’ by The Globe and Mail’s Report on Business Magazine, recently experienced the e-tron lineup for himself on a snow track in Mont Tremblant, Que.
Changemaker Alexander Sinora test driving an e-tron in Mont Tremblant. Sinora appreciates how Audi balances performance with design.SUPPLIED
Sinora, co-founder of Black Wealth Club – a platform for aspiring leaders in the Black community to gain knowledge, establish and reinvest their wealth – called the winter-driving experience a full-circle moment. After landing his first job in 2018, his first vehicle was an Audi. “I see myself as someone that is not flashy but does well, performs and cares about my work. Audi has that same confidence in its own design.”
“ Sometimes we want to innovate just for the sake of creating new technology, but it’s really about catering to the needs of the people.”
-Alexander Sinora, co-founder, Black Wealth Club
Sinora got behind the wheel to test three vehicles in the Audi e-tron lineup at Tremblant’s Mécaglisse driving circuit: the RS e-tron GT, Q4 e-tron SUV and the e-tron SUV. He experienced the vehicle’s electric quattro all-wheel drive system, which precisely adjusts the distribution of power between the front and rear wheels to provide the best possible traction in any weather or driving condition.
All vehicles in the Audi e-tron lineup run on two electric motors for a powerful and exceptionally quiet ride. Its adjustable system detects when the car is slipping or sliding and adjusts power distribution to ensure smoothness and stability, while its high-voltage battery stores energy efficiently, making it an excellent option for long-distance trips.
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All models in Audi's e-tron lineup run on two electric motors for a powerful and quiet ride.
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“You don’t feel like you’re in a different beast whatsoever,” says Sinora of the electric driving experience. For him, handling the e-tron felt effortless. “You’re just in a car and it works really well, and you enjoy being there.”
During the three-day experience, Sinora met with visionaries in the culinary, art, and automotive world to learn how they, like Audi, are pushing the boundaries of sustainability. Quebec-based chef and restaurateur Tim Moroney from restaurant Alentours uses locally and sustainably sourced ingredients and cooks complete meals with only hydro-powered energy, which is an anomaly in the restaurant industry. For Sinora, this circular dining experience underscores the value of cohesively integrating sustainable technologies into our real world experiences without ever sacrificing quality. “When it feels seamless, it becomes a lifestyle,” says Sinora.
Renowned collage artist Maxwell Burnstein creates immersive works pairing analog techniques with digital technology. Transforming the old into something new and exciting is Burnstein’s specialty; Audi adopts a similar approach by bringing reclaimed materials back to life, using them to craft elegant interiors that exude a brand-new feel.
After his test drive, Sinora, third from left, joined a group for dinner led by chef Tim Moroney, which focused on the relationship between creativity and sustainability.SUPPLIED
For Sinora, Burnstein’s larger-than-life art captures the relationship between technology and nature, and furthers the conversation about sustainable innovation. “When I created Black Wealth Club, I wanted to develop tools to democratize access, to bring opportunities to other people who look like me, who truly care,” says the 27-year-old Canadian entrepreneur. “Opportunity invites fresh ideas and inspiration, which is key to designing a more sustainable tomorrow in all industries.”
For Sinora, innovation means multiple things. “First, it’s about thinking differently to solve an issue that you may believe has already been solved. Focus on discovering what the real problem is,” he says. “Sometimes we want to innovate just for the sake of creating new technology, but it’s really about catering to the needs of the people.”
With the Audi e-tron lineup, there’s an ability to command the elements from the driver’s seat that proves going electric doesn’t mean compromising on performance, providing a new perspective on what it means to drive a luxury vehicle.
Maxwell Burnstein's art installation examines the relationship between technology, the environment and sustainability.SUPPLIED
“We talk about technology, but the core of innovation is working with people who are talented and good at what they do. They are the ones that make it happen,” Sinora says. “The people that innovate share their passions, and when you strike a conversation with someone like that you can feel the intensity: they care about the problem they’re trying to solve.”
Whether the focus is sustainability, improved performance or impeccable design, the pursuit of exceptional defines progress in all fields.
“To be a real innovator,” Sinora says, “you need to care. And when you care a lot, you can do incredible things.”
Advertising feature produced by Globe Content Studio with Audi. The Globe’s editorial department was not involved.