AUDI have recently been titillating environmentally conscious executive types with exciting all-electric concept versions of their next-gen A6.
The concept A6 Avant e-tron wagon unveiled at the German marque's Annual Media Conference last month builds upon the positive buzz of the concept A6 e-tron saloon first teased at Auto Shanghai 2021 – and, with new A6 e-tron production prototypes which closely resemble the latter having already been spotted 'in the wild', it seems likely that Audi will also soon be bringing its first ever pure electric estate car to market in much the same manner.
Indeed, the A6 Avant e-tron concept offers further hope that manufacturers may continue to offer non-SUV options for motorists requiring a little extra room for transporting family/possessions/pets in comfort and style.
Both concept A6 e-trons are based on the modular Premium Platform Electric (PPE) Audi have co-developed with Porsche, also the basis for the forthcoming Q6 e-tron SUV and Porsche Macan EV production cars.
The A6 Avant e-tron concept is a big vehicle – at five metres long and two metres wide, it certainly won't be getting bullied by any SUVs in the carpark – but an attractive one at that. The images we've seen scream 'premium longroof GT', with massive 23-inch alloys, smooth slippery lines and aggressive styling at both ends.
At the front, the A6 Avant e-tron concept gets an illuminated Audi logo above a blanked-out Singleframe grille that's flanked by boxy functional air intakes (for brake cooling) and slim-line active matrix LED headlights.
Around the back, the rear end takes its cues from the current RS6 Avant with a lower rear diffuser which, ironically, looks like it should be housing twin jet exhausts – though of course it actually channels airflow under the car to reduce turbulence.
There's also a snazzy full-width OLED brakelight bar, while a roof spoiler sits atop the sloping rear hatch glass. The visibility through that doesn't seem like it would be great: however, no doubt there will be an HD rear-view camera to rely on, given that the car's wing mirrors are also cameras.
The wagon's upper bodyline is raked slightly upwards from front to back, while the roofline tapers off towards the rear, giving it an air of being poised for action even when at a stand-still. Contrast-coloured trim inserts along the lower doors highlight mid-line body sculpting to break up any potential 'slab-sided' effect.
Also on that front, Audi wax poetic/Teutonic in their press release about how the concept A6 Avant e-tron's "sporty silhouette is emphasised by its warm shade of grey called Neptune Valley: while the paint has a modern, understated look when it is in the shadows, its full effect opens up in the sun, draping it in shades of softly iridescent gold with its effect pigments." Well, quite.
The A6 e-tron concept cars also come equipped with party tricks like being able to project video games onto nearby walls through the headlights, which can also be customised to display a variety of 3D patterns and graphics along with the tail-lights. There are also projectors positioned around the car which can project graphics/messages/warnings onto the ground for the benefit of other motorists/pedestrians/cyclists.
Under the bonnet/boot floor, a dual-motor set-up for Quattro all-wheel drive will offer 469bhp and 590ft lb of torque, delivering a 0-62 in under four seconds – though apparently, should the A6 e-trons actually go into production, there will also be a less powerful/slightly more affordable single-motor option offering a still respectable 0-62mph time of under seven seconds, plus longer driving range.
On that front, the A6 e-tron concepts come equipped with a 100kWh battery located in the floorpan between the axles. In addition to giving the cars a low centre of gravity and maximising the amount of interior space available for passengers and cargo, the low-slung high capacity battery will provide approximately 435 miles of range and utilises Audi's 800v battery architecture, offering up to 270kW of charging: this would allow drivers to top up to around 186-miles of range in just 10 minutes when connected to a power source at the maximum rate of charging.
The electric A6s get Audi air suspension with adaptive dampers as standard. The front wheels are connected via a five-link axle optimised for electric vehicles, with a multi-link axle in the rear.
Interior wise, details are scarce – though you would have to assume tech and comfort levels must be on a par with Audi's seriously well-appointed e-tron GT.
Interested? Well of course you are: and the good news is that an A6 e-tron is currently expected to launch next year alongside the next gen of the combustion powered A6, meaning that there's a real possibility that an A6 e-tron Avant will also appear shortly thereafter.
Of course, given the current production delays already plaguing manufacturers at the moment, it would probably be wise not to hold your breath while you wait...
