Audi unveils A6 E-Tron electric sedan concept with 700 km range
Audi has unveiled a concept version of the all-electric A6 e-Tron sedan based on the next generation PPE (Premium Platform Electric) platform, which the company is developing in cooperation with Porsche.
The A6 e-Tron will be one of the first electric vehicles based on the PPE platform, alongside an electric version of the Porsche Macan crossover and the new Audi Q6 crossover.
The PPE architecture is designed for use in single-engine (rear-wheel drive) powertrains and twin-engine (all-wheel drive) configurations. The A6 e-Tron concept uses a twin-engine version with a total output of 350 kW (469 hp) and a maximum torque of 800 Nm.
The production version of the A6 e-Tron will not appear until the second half of 2022. Still, the German automaker has already determined that the new product range will be about 700 km according to the WLTP driving cycle thanks to a lithium-ion battery with a capacity of 100 kWh. Audi told Ars that the battery pack would be more compact. And that will allow it to be used in a sedan-like body like the A6 e-Tron concept without compromising interior space.
Like the Porsche Taycan and Audi e-Tron GT (both based on the J1 platform), the A6 e-Tron uses an 800-volt electrical architecture that allows it to be quickly charged with direct current at up to 270 kW. It is also reported that the A6 e-Tron will be equipped with matrix headlights with Digital Matrix LED technology.
In the current Audi lineup, the A6 is a regular sedan, while the A7 is a fastback derivative. The Audi 6 e-Tron is clearly a fastback, which makes sense as the sloping roofline and shortened rear end allows the drag coefficient (Cd) to be reduced, in this case, to 0.22. So why did Audi name the new concept A6 e-Tron and not the A7 Sportback e-Tron?
“The A6 lineup has a legacy from the Audi 100, and the A7 is a derivative of it, ” explained an Audi spokesman. Therefore, the name A6 was chosen to establish a more direct connection with the Audi 100, which helped the company achieve success.
The production version of the A6 e-Tron will be presented at the end of 2022, and its deliveries will start at the beginning of 2023.
