Kimiko Kidd
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The Audi b-tron: A Sweet April Fools’ Day Joke

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Audi b-tron
Photo: Audi

With all the buzz around alternative energy sources, it’s only natural that Audi is pushing the envelope with innovative technology — and a playful April Fools’ campaign. On April 1, the official Audi online magazine announced that the electrified e-tron would be getting a new sibling — the b-tron.


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What makes the b-tron special? Well, on Audi’s search for alternative fuels, they developed a car that runs on a sweet, sustainable power source — honey. Billing honey as an energy-dense fuel source that’s naturally acquired from Bavarian robina flowers, Audi spokesman Imker Honig explained that developing the b-tron wasn’t a bed of roses.

“Early prototypes tended to attract scores of bees, typically around the hexagonal fuel cap,” said the member of Ingolstadt’s Komplett Geschminkt skunkworks. “One tester was swarmed by a hive that had settled in the glove compartment. I don’t think he’ll be doing that again, ha!”

“That said, everyone loves the on-board toaster,” Honig continued,

The April Fools’ Day joke is even funnier if you know a little German — Imker Honig literally translates to “Beekeeper Honey,” while “Komplett Geschminkt” means “completely made-up.”


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While a honey-powered car won’t be hitting the road anytime soon, the b-tron campaign is a fun way to draw attention to Audi’s real-life innovations. For instance, the all-new e-tron, which comes out in 2020, will be a fully-electric luxury car. Similarly, the Audi h-tron concept offers an exciting peek into the potential of hydrogen fuel-cell technology.

Source: Audi