The Dakar Rally is the Formula 1 of off-road races. Everyone’s heard of it, every automaker wants the winning title, and they spend millions developing off-road capable race cars. Audi began competing in the esteemed and grueling off-road race in 2022 and unveiled the RS Q e-tron for the T1U class.
It was also one hell of a car for the German manufacturer’s entrance. Two electric motors from a Formula E car delivered 671 horsepower, powered by a large, high-capacity battery that a 2.0-liter RS5 Turbo DTM engine could recharge. Engineers designed the car to optimize airflow and weight distribution.
For Audi’s first year, the company finished ninth—not bad for its first rodeo. So, it came as a shock (even to Audi) when Czech newspapers began asking questions as to why the race car’s remains were found illegally scattered in a nature preserve.
Apparently, Audi’s business partners lied about what they were hauling
A local paper in Jiríkov, Czechia reported a German company told officials for the park that they were carrying “bits of plastic,” and nothing more. However, investigators found that to be grossly false.
Investigators found brake rotors, fiberglass body panels, and circuit boards.
“We also found a piece of a special car that drove in the 2022 Dakar Rally. We found out that it was a special Audi hybrid, driven by Mattias Ekström and Emil Bergkvist, and they finished in ninth place. The development of this car must have cost millions of euros,” Jiříkova mayor Barbora Šišková told the local paper, Seznam Zpravy.
“Audi management paid the German company Roth International to dispose of the car and it ended up with us… We found batteries there, battery cells that can be toxic. It’s 100% illegal because they’re stored in bags, which shouldn’t be stored like that. And on top of that, they say plastic, which is of course a lie.”
Audi and Roth may face hefty fines
The Czech government takes environmental crimes incredibly seriously. A local plastic company was reportedly fined millions after it was discovered they were illegally dumping waste.
If it turns out that Audi knew of Roth’s intentions, they could be on the hook, too.
Audi acknowledged its relationship with Roth, and that they were contracted with them to dispose of the car. However, their “strict” environmental policies were clearly violated.
While Audi will closely evaluate its business relationship with Roth, Czech officials will be investigating Rotyh and Munich Custom Investigation Office.
