You may have seen it coming from a mile away - or you may have not, considering that it really wasn't too long ago that the Q6 e-tron was unveiled.
Either way, Audi has officially pulled the covers off its next electric chapter and, lo and behold… It's not an SUV.
Or rather, they are not SUVs. The all-new Audi A6 Sportback and Avant e-tron are set to join the brand's growing four-ringed electric family, and amidst the excitement now that we've gotten a closer look at their production-ready forms, here are six fast facts about the new cars (though not quite as fast as the S6 e-tron...):
1. Not the same as the A6 Sedan and Avant - and not exactly replacing them eitherÂ
The first question that's likely on everyone's minds is - does the A6 e-tron replace the current-generation combustion-powered A6?
The answer's complicated; it technically fills the same general segment in terms of size, and is likewise offered in two body styles. Mechanically, however, it couldn't be more different, riding on the bespoke-for-EVs PPE platform co-developed with Porsche.
In a Q&A session with the media ahead of the car's official premiere, Audi seemed to suggest that the combustion-powered A6 will continue to be sold alongside the A6 e-tron where sufficient demand justifies it. But as the world premiere of the A5 revealed to us a while back, even-numbered Audi models will all be electric in the future - meaning that the current A6's days are inevitably numbered.Â
2. Audi's first non-SUV e-trons in quite a while
It's unlikely you've forgotten the Audi e-tron GT: A drop-dead gorgeous, dead-quick all-electric grand tourer that not only moved the needle for Audi's electric lineup, but also resembled a Stormtrooper if you bought it in white.
Still, a good four years have come and gone since the car was first unveiled. In between, Audi hasn't stopped working on its electric offerings, giving us the updated Q8 e-tron, Q4 e-tron, as well as Q6 e-tron in the interim. The (potential) problem for some? They were all SUVs.
Now, the A6 Sportback and Avant e-tron are bringing the e-tron family closer back to the ground. In fact, they mark the first models to see the PPE platform being utilised in a low-floor concept. Nice.Â
3. The most aerodynamic series production Audi of all time
It may not hit you at first, but beyond the electrification of the A6 nameplate, yet another change has occurred this time round: The true-blue sedan form has disappeared. Instead, apart from the Avant (or wagon) body style, the A6 e-tron is being offered also as a Sportback.
The official line is that aerodynamics helped to lead the design strategy, and apart from the general shape of the car, Audi's approach to the fine-tuning was meticulous. And by meticulous, we mean over 1,300 simulations and a lot of time spent in the wind tunnel; a level of detail that saw the team chasing Cd advantages of a mere 0.012 (you can thank the switchblade cool-air intake under the car's grille for that); a smooth underfloor; and even wheel options that have been aerodynamically optimised across the board.
The result? The A6 Sportback e-tron now holds the honour as the most aerodynamically efficient Audi built to date for series production, with a drag coefficient of just 0.21Cd. In this gorgeous form! Other cars in the 0.21Cd club include the Hyundai Ioniq 6 and Lotus Emeya, while within its own family, the A6 Sportback e-tron bests even the e-tron GT.Â
The Audi team was understandably excited when they realised they had achieved this figure. So much so that the eureka moment was hair-raising.Â
As Exterior Designer at Audi, Wolf Seebers, recounts it: "I remember when my phone rang, and my colleague from the Aerodynamics team practically screamed in my ear:Â "0.21! You won't believe it, but we did it!" Together, we achieved the best Cd value ever for a series Audi model. I still get goosebumps when I think about it."
4. New breakthroughs in range
With the A6 e-tron's breakthroughs in aerodynamic efficiency, it should be expected too that range should benefit.
And it certainly has. At launch, the single-motor A6 Sportback e-tron's 94.9kWh battery pack gives it a WLTP-rated range of a whopping 750km. That easily bests even the marathoning-variants of the BMW i5 and Mercedes-EQE Sedan.
The A6 Avant e-tron isn't too far behind either, with a WLTP-rated range of 720km.
Still, it's not just range that Audi is offering with the A6 e-tron…
5. Performance with a big 'P'... and performance with a small 'p'
…because the A6 e-tron (expectedly) packs it on in performance as well.
The single-motor variant at launch, confusingly dubbed the A6 e-tron performance, is already not too shabby itself; it's capable of 362bhp and a century sprint timing of 5.4 seconds.
But of course, any electric model lineup today wouldn't be complete without a neck-snapping dual-motor variant. Enter: The S6 e-tron, whose system output stands at 496bhp (or 543bhp with Launch Control). The 0 to 100km/h sprint is dispensed in a mere 3.9 seconds, before the car goes on to hit a top speed of 240km/h.
At this point, we're not too sure we need an RS6 e-tron… but in a Q&A session with Audi, the possibility of that variant being made wasn't ruled out.Â
6. Audi-firsts: Illuminated logo, power folding virtual mirrors, and a smart glass roofÂ
Finally, the A6 e-tron introduces a number of Audi-firsts - which it can now claim as its own exclusives - as the latest member to join the four-ringed family.
Apart from the OLED lighting tech we've seen on the Q6 e-tron, the A6 e-tron gets a bit more unique shimmer too: An illuminated four-ringed logo, right above its taillight bar.
Additionally, the A6 e-tron comes with Audi's second-generation virtual exterior mirrors, which - after taking in customer feedback - can now be folded in electronically. Hurrah!
And finally, the A6 e-tron steps the tech up on the inside too with an optional smart panoramic glass roof.
Keen on a more in-depth look at the A6 e-tron? Here's a more detailed look!
