It’s been more than 18 months since Audi revealed its A6 Avant e-tron concept but this is the first time we are seeing it on the road.
Autocar reported earlier this year the Audi A6 e-tron will launch in 2024, shortly after the related Q6 e-tron crossover due by the end of 2023. It will be offered in both liftback and wagon guise.
The liftback will give Audi a rival to the BMW i5 and Mercedes-Benz EQE sedans, while the A6 Avant e-tron will battle the as-yet unrevealed BMW i5 Touring.
“The A6 E-tron is exactly three years after we launched the E-tron GT, and on the A6 E-tron – as you could see on the concept car, which is very, very, very, very, very close to the production car – you can see that we will go sleeker and simpler,” said Audi’s head of design, Marc Lichte.
Spy photos captured of the electric wagon show similar split-level lighting to the concept, however this prototype appears to feature a longer housing for the lower lighting elements.
The front bumper has also changed from the concept, though while we can’t see the grille under the camouflage, we expect it to be similar to the concept and in-line with Audi’s latest e-tron models.
On the side, the door handles are flush and the wheels appear to be 22-inch alloys – the same as the concept – but with a new design and a black finish.
At the rear, the prototype has a rear spoiler which is different to the concept. The concept features an aerodynamic design with two spaces to allow for airflow.
At the rear there appears to be a full-width LED light bar, while the rear bumper has a multi-tiered look.
There isn’t a lot more we can see about the car given it’s heavily camouflaged.
While it’s unclear the exact dimensions of the production model, the concept measures 4960mm long, 1960mm wide and 1440mm tall, which is around 9mm longer and 58mm wider than an internal combustion-powered A6 Avant.
Audi says the A6 Avant e-tron concept rides on the Premium Platform Electric – co-developed by Audi and Porsche – which underpins the upcoming Q6 e-tron and Porsche Macan EV.
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Audi A6 Avant e-tron concept -
Audi A6 Avant e-tron concept
The PPE platform supports single-motor rear-wheel drive and dual-motor all-wheel drive powertrains.
The A6 Avant e-tron concept has a dual-motor all-wheel drive powertrain with 350kW of power and 800Nm of torque, like its Sportback counterpart.
It has a 100kWh battery, 800V technology and 270kW of charging capacity, allowing for 300km of range to be added in 10 minutes.
The company has also previously said it “can imagine” a hot RS6 version. Such a model could potentially offer the RS e-tron GT’s 440kW/830Nm dual-motor powertrain.
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