We’re starting to suspect that Audi was sandbagging when it told us the A6 e-tron’s official range was up to 468 miles, because one has covered more than 831 miles (1,338 kilometres) on a single charge, setting a new world record for electric cars. The previous record was 749 miles, which was done in a Lucid Air Grand Touring – a much more expensive car than the A6 e-tron, and one that has a significantly longer claimed range of nearly 600 miles. At the helm of the Audi was Miko Marczyk, a rally driver who last year set another, similar world record when he covered exactly 1,759 miles on a single tank of diesel in the latest Skoda Superb. He managed to drive from Poland to Paris (and back), and achieved an average fuel consumption of 108.6mpg in the process. The model in question was an Audi A6 Sportback e-tron Performance, which features a 94.9kWh battery, delivers 362bhp for 0-62mph in 5.4 seconds and has an exceptionally low drag coefficient of as little as 0.21Cd. That gave the electric saloon “outstanding potential”, said Marczyk, “although even I am pleasantly surprised by the final result of 1,338 kilometres”. The challenge began in Poland’s Tatra Mountains, with Marczyk taking advantage of the favourable terrain along the way. His route then took him through Kraków, along the Vistula valley to Sandomierz, through Puławy, Warsaw, Płock, Włocławek, Toruń, Grudziądz and the Tricity area in the north of the country before reaching the seaside resort of Hel, and retracing the same route back through Poland. The car reportedly came to a stop between Toruń and Ciechocinek. The record attempt took 45 hours in total, with the A6 e-tron averaging a flabbergasting 8.8mi/kWh – nearly twice as efficient as Audi says this car is. It was driven entirely on public roads, with many sections covered during rush hour and temperatures reaching as low as seven degrees Celsius at one point. “My objective during this attempt, however, was to cover the greatest possible distance on a single charge,” said Marczyk. The 30-year-old rally driver added: “I used energy-efficient Michelin tyres, designed with performance and efficiency in mind. This was another important factor in the overall challenge.” So the two-time winner of our Large Company Car of the Year award has proved itself extremely capable yet again. If you’re interested in one, right now you can save more than £13,000 on the Audi A6 e-tron by ordering it through the Auto Express Buy A Car service. Get the latest and best car news and reviews, first! Follow Auto Express on Google today
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