Audi A6 Avant E-Tron Concept promises ultra-fast charging and 700km EV range

SINGAPORE - Audi has pulled the wraps off its A6 Avant E-Tron Concept, which previews the next generation of Audi’s executive wagon. It will sit on Audi’s new Premium Platform Electric (PPE) architecture, which will underpin the brand’s future large electric vehicles (EVs), and will be focused on delivering long range efficiency.

The PPE platform is able to accommodate batteries of varying sizes, and in the A6 Avant E-Tron, Audi says that it will have a 100kW battery, located in the middle of the car, and powering two electric motors, one at each axle.

Power output is rated at 469hp and 800Nm of torque, with drive sent to all four wheels via Audi’s quattro all-wheel-drive system, and Audi has not ruled out a future high performance version, perhaps an RS 6 Avant E-Tron model.

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The A6 Avant E-Tron Concept also features the same 800-volt battery system as the RS E-Tron GT, which means that it is capable of taking on ultra fast charging. Audi claims that the car is able to gain 300km worth of charge with just 10 minutes of charging, and go from five to 80 per cent charge in 25 minutes. Fully charged, Audi says that the A6 Avant E-Tron is able to offer up to 700km of range.

The design of the A6 Avant E-Tron Concept is uncharacteristically low-slung and sleek, going against the usual boxy wagon design language. The car sits at 4.96m long, 1.96m wide and just 1.44m tall. Styling highlights include the large, closed-off 'grille' up front, and the long taillight bar across the rear, which is a major part of Audi’s E-Tron electric vehicle (EV) identity.

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Aerodynamics play a major part of the car’s design, with the A6 Avant E-Tron Concept boasting a drag coefficient of just 0.22, which Audi says is unprecedented for a car of its size. Notably, the concept appears to lack external door handles, while the sculpted lines down the side also help with airflow.

The slim camera-based virtual door mirrors, first seen on the E-Tron SUV, makes an appearance here too, although Audi has not released any pictures or details about the car’s interior.

The A6 Avant E-Tron Concept also premieres innovative new lighting technology. The digital Matrix LED headlights not only offers maximum brightness and illumination, but it also incorporates the ability to project images and videos onto a wall, with almost cinematic quality projection. The rear lights offer OLED lighting elements that can be customised by the customer to offer a variety of dynamic light signatures.

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The first production car to sit on the PPE platform will be the Q6 E-Tron SUV, which is slated for launch in 2023, with the A6 Avant E-Tron set for a 2024 debut. While Audi is going full speed ahead with its E-Tron EV expansion plans, the company also says that it will continue to produce internal combustion engine (ICE) cars for the foreseeable future, mainly to cater to markets that are slower in their EV infrastructure development.

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This article was first published in CarBuyer.