The new fully electric Audi A6 e-tron is Ingolstadt’s most aerodynamic model yet, has a claimed range of over 700 km and looks likely to launch in South Africa in mid-2025…
Meet the Audi A6 e-tron, a fully electric newcomer offered in both Sportback and Avant body styles (and thus technically not as a sedan) – and boasting a single-charge range of “well over 700 km”, according to the Ingolstadt-based automaker.
So, will we see this new battery-powered model in Mzansi? Well, Audi SA has confirmed to Cars.co.za it is “anticipating that the A6 e-tron will launch in South Africa in mid-2025”, though points out the exact line-up has yet to be confirmed. Still, we suspect only the Sportback will make it to local shores (perhaps until the surely inevitable RS6 Avant e-tron is revealed, that is).
The 2nd Audi model built on the Premium Platform Electric (PPE) platform after the Q6 e-tron – and the 3rd Volkswagen Group product on this architecture, including the battery-powered version of the Porsche Macan – the A6 e-tron will take the fight to the likes of the BMW i5 and Mercedes-Benz EQE.
In the interests of maximising range, the A6 Sportback e-tron is particularly slippery through the air. In fact, endowed with a drag coefficient as low as 0.21, it’s the most aerodynamic Audi yet (the wagon-shaped A6 Avant e-tron, meanwhile, isn’t far behind with a similarly impressive 0.24 coefficient of drag).
The German automaker has so far detailed just a pair of powertrains, each drawing its urge from a “newly developed” lithium-ion battery pack. The latter comprises 12 modules and 180 prismatic cells, with a gross capacity of 100 kWh and a net capacity of 94.9 kWh (expect an entry-level battery pack with 10 modules and an 83 kWh gross capacity to be available at a later stage).
At launch, the A6 e-tron performance powertrain will offer 270 kW and 565 Nm to the rear axle, resulting in a claimed 0-100 kph time of 5.4 seconds and a top speed of 210 kph. In the Sportback body style, Audi claims a range of “over 750 km”, a figure that falls slightly to 720 km in the case of the Avant.
Meanwhile, the all-wheel-drive S6 e-tron boasts 370 kW – or up to 405 kW with launch control activated – which sees the claimed 0-100 kph sprint time improve to 3.9 seconds and the top speed grow to 240 kph. The rear-sited electric motor offers 580 Nm while the front item adds 275 Nm. However, that extra performance comes at the cost of range, with the S6 Sportback e-tron’s claimed single-charge range dropping to a still-impressive 670 km and the S6 Avant e-tron’s figure falling to 640 km.
According to Audi, an appropriate fast-charging station can add up to 310 km of range to the A6 Sportback e-tron performance’s battery in just 10 minutes (with the state of charge ostensibly increasing from 10 to 80% in only 21 minutes). Interestingly, if a charging station works with 400V technology, the A6 e-tron can pivot to “bank charging”. In short, the 800V battery pack is split into a pair of 400V banks, which can then be charged in parallel with up to 135 kW.
Inside, you’ll find Audi’s latest MMI panoramic display, complete with a curved design and OLED technology. The set-up comprises an 11.9-inch virtual cockpit and a 14.5-inch touch display, while a 10.9-inch front-passenger screen is optional. There’s also the option of the brand’s 2nd-generation augmented reality head-up display, which reflects a tilted image plane across the windscreen towards the driver.
Another interesting option is a panoramic glass roof fashioned from “smart glass” (featuring polymer-dispersed liquid crystal technology) that “minimises direct sunlight and becomes opaque at the touch of a button”. Audi will also offer the new A6 e-tron with its 2nd-generation virtual side mirrors, now with a power-folding function, along with the option of a leather-free interior. At the rear there are 2nd-generation digital OLED taillamps alongside the “equipment-dependent” illumination of the brand’s 4-ringed logo.
The A6 Sportback e-tron measures 4 928 mm long (so, just 26 mm shorter than the C8-generation A6 saloon), with a wheelbase of 2 946 mm. Interestingly, those measurements – as well as the 1 923 mm width – are shared with the Avant, though the latter stands 40 mm taller at 1 527 mm. While luggage capacity is listed as 502 litres in either case, the Avant unsurprisingly boasts more utility space with a figure of 1 422 litres (92 units up on the Sportback).
So, what happens to the outgoing C8-generation A6 sedan and wagon? Well, the German firm is in the process of rejigging its naming convention – with even numbers denoting electrically powered models and odd numbers reserved for vehicles with combustion engines – which suggests the direct fossil-fuel replacement for the C8-series A6 will be rechristened as the A7. Expect that model to debut in 2025…
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