Audi has revealed the latest A6 e-tron. The model comes in two variants: Sportback and Avant. The model effectively is the electric version of the Audi A5. It will be an important part of the German Marquee's electric transition. It is based on the Premium Platform Electric (PPE) that has already underpinned the Q6 e-tron. It will do the same for future Audi, Porsche, and Volkswagen models.
Design of Audi A6 e-tron
The design of the A6 e-tron is similar to the Sportback concept we saw in 2021 and the Avant concept in 2022. It has split headlights like the Q6 e-tron, but the DRLs on this model are sleeker. You can get the LED signature customised, too. The light colours of the car find a perfect contrast with the gloss black elements on the front. The grille of the A6 is covered like that of other electric cars. The front, especially the bumper, has a more subtle design than the more edgy and sharp Q6 e-tron. It has its own character, and the lines on its bonnet make it look muscular. The S6 has inserts on the bumpers for the sporty appeal. Another unique element is that cameras are replacing traditional ORVMs.
If you look at it from the side, the Sportback and Avant will get you to say wow! A big reason behind that is the design of the 19-inch alloy wheels. Users can also opt for larger 21-inch units.
The Sportback design helps the A6 e-tron with its aerodynamics. This is evident with its drag coefficient of just 0.21cd, the best number any Audi has ever achieved.
The cladding on the door contrasts with the general paint and helps increase the design appeal. The rear includes OLED taillights connected by a lightbar in the centre. These lights can showcase various patterns for different scenarios. It has diffusers on the bottom and a lightened-up Audi logo above the tail lamps.
Interior of the A6 e-tron
The cabin of the A6 e-tron largely resembles the Q6 e-tron. Like other cars of modern times, it gets an infotainment panel, 14.5 inches in size and a digital instrument cluster that measures 11.9 inches. The panel gets an Android-based operating system with multiple functionalities, such as controlling the AC. What is unique to this model is a 10.9-inch screen for the front passenger that is away from the driver's view to avoid distracting them. The fourth display on the car is the Heads-up display, which gets an Audi assistant with AI support and voice commands. It also has augmented reality displays. The ambient lighting on the A6 e-tron is below the windscreen and extends to the doors while covering the complete dashboard. These lights are customizable according to the user. They also have functional purposes of lighting up to signal charging, turning signals, and showing welcome and goodbye animations. On these doors, you will find screens that display the feed from the cameras on the ORVMs.
To steer the car, there is a new boxy steering that does away with buttons and adds touch panels. The driver door also has touch panels to control the mirror, seat, and lights. There is a new switch for the drivel selector as well. There is also a rotary dial to control media. As we saw in the recently launched 5 Series LWB, the A6 e-tron completely does away with leather on the inside. Instead, it uses satin silver and fabric that contrasts with the stitching. Other features of the A6 e-tron include the ADAS suite, a 360-degree camera, a panoramic sunroof which can be made transparent and opaque with a button, a 20-speaker Bang & Olufsen sound system and a powered tailgate.
Powertrain of Audi A6 e-tron
The Sportback and Avant have three powertrain variants: a base RWD, a performance RWD, and an Ouattro AWD. The base has 278 hp, the performance RWD has 357 bhp, and the AWD has 416 bhp. You can get the S6 e-tron model if you want even more performance. This has the same AWD but a power output of 489 bhp that can be increased to 536 bhp with launch control.
The vehicle's all-wheel-drive (AWD) variants are equipped with an asynchronous electric motor on the front axle, generating 188 horsepower and 275 Nm of torque. The rear axle features a permanent magnet synchronous motor, which produces 375 horsepower and 580 Nm of torque.
Coming to the acceleration stats, Audi reports that the base rear-wheel-drive (RWD) model can accelerate from 0 to 100 kph in 6.0 seconds. The Quattro AWD version achieves the same in 4.5 seconds, and the S6 e-tron models do so in 3.9 seconds. The maximum speed is electronically limited to 210 kph for the standard A6 e-tron. In contrast, the S6 e-tron can reach up to 240 kph.
The vehicle offers two battery pack options: the base rear-wheel-drive (RWD) model comes with an 83 kWh battery that provides a range of 610 km. The rest of the lineup features a larger 100 kWh battery, which delivers a range between 647 km and 756 km, depending on the variant. The 100 kWh battery supports fast charging up to 270 kW at 800 volts, allowing it to charge from 10% to 80% in just 21 minutes. Audi also claims a 310 km range can be added within 10 minutes of charging. The AC charger bundled with the car gives a charging speed of 11 kW, with an optional upgrade to 22 kW available.
Launch of Audi A6 e-tron
The A6 e-tron will be available in international models from Europe in early 2025. We expect to see it enter Indian shores by the middle of 2025. Audi said it will get a starting price of Rs 68 Lakh (€75,000). The S6 e-tron, on the other hand, will get a price of around Rs 91 lakh (€1,00,000). It will lock horns with the BMW i5.
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