AUDI: Electric A6 Avant e-tron nears production

Mar 23, 2022

Audi has revealed the near-production ready concept of its new electric estate car, the Audi A6 Avant e-tron. Production is expected to commence during 2024 with the new model promising to look very similar to the images shown here. It will sit alongside a new, combustion-engined A6 Avant in the Audi line-up.

The Audi A6 Avant e-tron will be marketed as a more practical version of the A6 e-tron saloon, which was also teased in concept-car form last year. Both cars will rival the likes of the Mercedes EQE saloon as well as a possible electric version of the next BMW 5 Series, likely to be named the ‘i5’.

To maximise range and efficiency, Audi has sculpted the new A6 Avant e-tron’s body to be as sleek and as smooth as possible. In place of the brand’s trademark hexagonal grille, the electric A6 will get a similarly-shaped indented ‘Singleframe’ trim piece. This will be adorned with an illuminated version of Audi’s famous four-ring logo and flanked by a slim pair of headlights. Audi states that these will incorporate complex LED Matrix projection technology, which can even display images and video on flat surfaces, potentially allowing occupants to play a video game together using the road or surroundings as a screen.

The more astute will notice the pair of digital door mirrors fitted to this concept. Already available on the e-tron SUV as an option, these utilise cameras to display what is behind you and can vastly reduce the car’s drag coefficient. The images also show the car riding on a set of kerb-grinding 22-inch alloy wheels, but it is likely series production cars will get smaller sizes with aerodynamic elements to further reduce drag.

At the rear of the car, the A6 Avant e-tron gets a heavily-tapered rear window, above a fashionable full-width OLED light bar. Like the current-generation model, this will be able to display animated sequences when the car is unlocked.

As an all-electric car, the lack of a transmission tunnel promises an increase in interior space and a front boot will also be part of the design, providing further storage.

Perhaps the greatest difference between this new A6 and the current model will be what is - or more accurately what will not be - under the bonnet. The Audi A6 e-tron and A6 Avant e-tron will both ride on Audi’s new Premium Platform Electric (PPE) platform. Co-developed with Porsche, this will also provide the underpinnings for both the upcoming Audi Q6 SUV and the next-generation electric Porsche Macan.

Audi claims that the A6 Avant e-tron concept boasts a battery that holds ‘around 100 kW/h of energy’, with the marque claiming an impressive range figure of 435 miles.

Also carrying over to the production car from the concept will be the dual-electric-motor, quattro all-wheel-drive setup. As seen in Audi’s sleek e-tron GT, this set-up provides a hefty 469 bhp and should accelerate the A6 from 0-62 mph in ‘under four seconds’. For those wanting even more power, a high-performance RS6 Avant e-tron is rumoured to be in the works.

Not yet confirmed by Audi is the expectation of range-entry versions of the A6 Avant e-tron and A6 e-tron saloon, each with a smaller battery and a single, rear-mounted electric motor. These could offer an even greater driving range than the concept and yet still deliver a sub-seven second time for the 0-62 mph sprint.

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