Audi has launched new electric E-tron models, and this time they're not SUVs. Instead, we get electric versions of the A6, the carmaker's popular midsize sedan, and it comes in Sportback and Avant wagon guises, along with high-performance S6 variants.
Audi first showed the A6 E-tron as a concept at the Shanghai auto show in 2021, and the production version looks a lot like the original stuff. The front end still gets slim headlights with adaptive matrix LEDs (only available outside the US due to regulations) and a front grille with a fish-scale-like texture surrounded by a dark mask. And around back, the car has digital OLED panels for its taillights that can be used as a safety communications display.
In the U.S., just three versions of the new car are expected to go on sale for now: the A6 RWD Sportback, the A6 AWD (quattro) Sportback and the S6 Sportback. The slim virtual side mirrors that help the car achieve a low drag coefficient of 0.21 will also not be offered, since U.S. regulations require real mirrors. Audi claims the car's range on a single charge is more than 700 kilometers (about 435 miles), though the U.S. EPA estimate is likely to be much lower.
The quickest version, the S6 E-tron, can accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in just 3.7 seconds when launch control is used, which isn't far off Tesla's latest Model 3 Performance, which accelerates from 0 to 60 in just 2.9 seconds. The S6 reaches a maximum power of 543 horsepower and has a top speed of 149 mph.
The interior of the vehicle is very similar to that of the new Q6 E-tron, which features three screens that create a “digital stage,” including a 10.9-inch screen for the front passenger with a privacy screen. And if that’s not enough to look at, Audi also offers a head-up display for the driver.
The Audi A6 E-tron is built on Volkswagen’s new 800-volt Premium Platform Electric (PPE), which is also shared by the Audi Q6 E-tron and Porsche Macan EV. All versions of the A6 E-tron come with 100 kWh battery packs (94.4 usable) and can be DC fast-charged at 270 kW, enabling a 10 to 80 percent charge in 21 minutes, according to Audi.
The A6 E-Tron will be launched in Europe in late September, with a definitive US date to be announced later.
