Audi has been spotted testing an electric crossover to slot in between the Q5 and Q7. It will go by the name Q6 E-Tron, and there will be both regular and coupe-like Sportback body styles, as well as a high-performance RS Q6 E-Tron variant.
The Q6 E-Tron is a twin with the electric Porsche Macan currently in development, and both vehicles share Volkswagen Group’s new PPE platform for premium EVs. Due to delays, the vehicles are now expected to go on sale only in early 2024, likely as 2024 models. The Q6 E-Tron was originally due in 2022 and the Macan EV in 2023.
The Q6 E-Tron will be the first to debut. Its reveal will take place in the second half of 2023, Audi has confirmed.
The prototype for the Q6 E-Tron shows the vehicle will look similar to the recently launched Q4 E-Tron, just on a larger scale. However, one new element on the Q6 E-Tron, which is also new to the Audi brand, is a split headlight design.
The Q6 E-Tron looks to be slightly bigger than the Q5, just as the Q4 E-Tron is slightly bigger than the Q3. No specs have been revealed, but we know the PPE platform will have an 800-volt electrical system and range capabilities of 300 miles or more.
For the Macan EV, we know the platform will feature a 98-kwh battery pack and an electric motor driving each axle. At least one Macan EV grade will deliver a combined output of more than 603 hp, something we might also see in the aforementioned RS Q6 E-Tron.
2024 Audi Q6 E-Tron spy shots – Photo credit: S. Baldauf/SB-Medien
Production of the Q6 E-Tron will be handled at Audi’s plant in Ingolstadt, Germany, which is being prepared for production of PPE-based vehicles, as well as batteries.
The vehicle’s arrival will mark the start of one of Audi’s most ambitious model rollout programs. Audi will introduce 20 new or updated vehicles by the end of 2025, and more than half will be electric. Beyond 2026, Audi plans to exclusively launch EVs.
