As part of the programme, Germany’s Federal Ministry of Transport will invest 10m Euros in the region to address issues with the power grid and facilitate communication between drivers, vehicles and the charging points. Utility provider Stadtwerke München will install a network of charging points in outlying areas, with E.ON taking care of inner-city public charging. All of the electricity used for the trial will come from renewable sources.

The A1 e-tron is powered by a 102bhp electric motor, giving a 31 mile range on a single charge. Once the batteries are exhausted, its range-extending single-rotor petrol engine kicks in to give a range of up to 155 miles. Audi claims fuel consumption of 148.7mpg, with CO2 emissions of 45g/km.

Data collected from the trial will be analysed by the Technische Universität München, which will use a smartphone application to see how the cars are used. The Department of Services will also be using the data, aiming to work out billing models for electric mobility customers.

‘In this era of electric mobility, we will offer our customers a wide range of services which go beyond driving itself. For example, the networking of vehicles with their surroundings and with infrastructure as well as new concepts of mobility will be important," commented Franciscus van Meel, Audi’s head of electric mobility strategy.

‘We want to use this fleet trial to learn more about our customers’ usage of electric cars, and their expectations in this regard. We are planning additional fleet endeavors in strategically important markets.’