The sweet spot of the Audi A6 range has always been its wagons. Now there’s an electric one
Audi has always prided itself on its wagons and, in particular, the A6 Avant, so it’s no surprise that it is close to launching the fully electric Audi A6 Avant e-tron.
Featuring an 800-volt electrical system, the Audi A6 Avant e-tron will offer a 700km range when it launches early next year, with both a 4.96-metre version for most of the world and a longer-wheelbase version for the Chinese market.
Aimed more at luxury than the A6 Avant’s traditional premium position, the Audi A6 Avant e-tron will charge at up to 270kW to give it 300km of range in just 10 minutes, or a five to 80 per cent charge in just 25 minutes.
Audi has fitted the A6 Avant e-tron, which it still calls a concept, with two electric motors, for a combined total of 350kW of power and 800Nm of torque.
There are five-link suspension systems at both ends, and Audi also gives the A6 Avant e-tron air suspension and adaptive dampers.
Audi’s newest EV is 400mm longer than its Audi A6 Sportback e-tron sibling, which was shown at last year’s Shanghai motor show.
Audi promised a range of motors for the A6 Sportback e-tron, topping out with a 475kW RS version.
“With the Audi A6 Avant e-tron concept, we are offering a completely tangible look at future production models on our new PPE technology platform,” the Audi director of technical development, Oliver Hoffmann, said.
“We’re not just electrifying the Avant’s successful 45-year history. What we want most of all is to use technical skill to add an exclamation point.
“In particular, this includes powerful 800-volt technology, 270kW of charging capacity and a WLTP range of up to 700km.”
Audi insists the Audi A6 Avant e-tron boasts a zero-to-100km/h sprint time of less than four seconds, though it has yet to confirm the motor outputs for the two-tonne-plus wagon.
It says that even the range-focused, entry-level rear-drive version will be able to reach 100km/h in less than seven seconds.
It won’t be the first Volkswagen Group production car to be based on the PPE modular electric architecture, because the new platform is also due to sit beneath the next Porsche Macan and the Audi Q5 e-tron.
The PPE architecture will feature a flat cabin floor while retaining the capability for quattro all-wheel drive, and it is also flexible enough to be scaled longer or shorter in size, with smaller or larger battery packs, and it can be used for sports cars or SUVs.
Audi has already confirmed it will also host a B-segment (light-car) sized model and has hinted that the next A8 limousine will also be based on this platform.
It’s the successor architecture from the platform used beneath the Porsche Taycan and the Audi e-tron GT, and the A6 Avant e-tron will use its new tricks to be super slippery through the air.
Audi claims the A6 Avant e-tron will cut a drag coefficient of just 0.22Cd, helping it extend its range, and it claims the car’s design has been heavily influenced by wind tunnel test results.
Riding on 22-inch wheels, the A6 Avant e-tron carries essentially the same footprint as the current production A6 Avant, with a length of 4.96 metres, a width of 1.96 metres and a height of 1.44 metres, though its wheelbase is longer.
It will arrive with a range of electric motor outputs, and a RWD-only version at the entry level.
There is no confirmation from Audi about whether a sedan version is also in the works, though it makes some sense from US and Chinese market perspectives.
Audi also suggests the A6 Avant e-tron won’t be as overtly sporty as the A6 Sportback e-tron, though it is likely to share its 100kWh lithium-ion battery pack.
Unlike BMW, Audi has no plans to engineer its large car to swallow both electric and combustion powertrains, so both A6 e-trons will be sold alongside more conventional Audi A6 sedans and wagons, including those with plug-in hybrid powertrains.
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Keyword: Audi A6 Avant e-tron revealed with 700km range