2025 Audi A6 e-tron EV: Sportback and Avant, RWD/S6 AWD, up to 551 PS, 756 km range, 270 kW DC charging

The rebranding of Audi’s lineup continues – just a couple of weeks on from the reveal of the combustion-engined, A4-replacing A5, Ingolstadt has now pulled the wraps off the all-electric A6 e-tron, continuing its new odd-number ICE/even-number EV naming strategy. Previewed by a concept model back in 2021, the company’s second model based on the Premium Platform Electric (PPE) has made the jump to production pretty much intact.

First, the body styles. Like the A5, the A6 e-tron is available in sedan and Avant (the latter being Audi’s first electric wagon) versions, but whereas the A5 sedan is literally just called that, the A6 receives the Sportback moniker usually reserved for its five-door coupés. This is despite both featuring five doors and, ironically, the previous A5 getting the Sportback tag.

Breaking further norms is the fact that, like the Q4 e-tron, the A6 e-tron is offered in single-motor rear-wheel-drive form. Even the performance model available at launch sends all 367 PS (270 kW) to the back, getting it from zero to 100 km/h in 5.4 seconds on its way to a top speed of 210 km/h.

Want quattro all-wheel drive? You’ll have to spring for the rear-biased dual-motor S6 e-tron, which produces 503 PS (370 kW). This is boosted to 551 PS (405 kW) with launch control engaged, firing the car to 100 km/h in 3.9 seconds and extending the top speed to 240 km/h.

All launch models come with a new PPE-specific 100 kWh battery with 180 prismatic cells which, combined with the extensive efficiency and aerodynamic optimisation measures (we’ll come to those later), delivers an astonishing WLTP range of up to 756 km for the A6 Sportback e-tron and 720 km for the Avant. The S6 versions, meanwhile, achieve 675 km and 647 km respectively, which are still mighty impressive figures.

Charging performance is also pretty good, thanks to the A6 e-tron being fitted with an 800-volt electrical architecture. This enables the car to support up to 270 kW of DC fast charging power, bringing the battery from 10 to 80% charge in 21 minutes and supplying the Sportback e-tron performance with enough energy to travel an additional 310 km in just 10 minutes.

The A6 e-tron also supports bank charging at 400-volt DC chargers, allowing up to 135 kW by splitting the battery into two 400-volt banks and charging them in parallel. However, the car will only accept up to 11 kW of AC charging from launch, with a 22 kW option coming later.

Numerous solutions have helped the A6 e-tron achieve its segment-leading range figures, such as a high-performance battery cooling system, oil-spray motor stator cooling and upgraded regenerative braking. The last one recuperates up to 220 kW of kinetic energy under deceleration and is sufficient for around 95% of daily braking needs.

Four modes are selectable via the steering wheel paddles, from totally off (for coasting) to a full-on B mode that enables one-pedal driving. A revised brake-by-wire system also allows regenerative and friction braking to be blended for the first time.

Significant attention has also been paid to the aerodynamics – despite the rather plump looks, the A6 e-tron what is claimed to be the slipperiest car ever. Features include an active grille shutter underneath the Singleframe front graphic, air curtains in the front bumper corners, an almost completely sealed underfloor and a functional rear diffuser, altogether resulting in a drag coefficient of just 0.21 for the Sportback.

The Avant isn’t far behind, with optimisations that even include using different front wheel deflectors and adding a spoiler to the rear diffuser. These measures, together with the tailgate and side spoilers, smoothen out the airflow leaving the rear of the car and help achieve a drag coefficient of 0.24.

Buyers can choose from 19- and 20-inch aero-optimised alloy wheels and option further streamlining equipment, including the side-view cameras from the Q8 e-tron (which can now be folded to prevent damage from passing cars when parked) and adaptive air suspension. The latter comes with an efficiency mode that drops the ride height by up to 20 mm depending on the speed.

The A6 e-tron’s design emphasises the car’s electric drivetrain without alienating conservative buyers. The front end features split headlights that are all the rage these days, combining with the mostly blacked-out bumper and body-coloured Singleframe grille to form what Audi calls the “inverted” front mask.

Moving rearwards, the swooping glasshouse and flush-mounted door handles improve the aerodynamics still further, while the strong haunches emphasise the all-paw traction of the quattro system (ironically only on the S6 e-tron). The black rocker panels are said to highlight the battery pack and visually lengthen the car. The Avant adds fast-rake D-pillars and a window strip that runs from the A-pillars to the rear spoiler.

At the back, you’ll find full-width taillights that can be optioned with an illuminated Audi four-ring badge for the first time. In fact, lighting is a particular area in which Audi has fussed with – the car can be specced with matrix LED headlights, and you can customise the lighting signatures of the multi-segment daytime running lights in concert with the OLED taillights. The latter can also be used to warn other road users of accidents and breakdowns and signal them to back off if they’re driving too closely behind.

Just like its platform mate, the Q6 e-tron, the interior of the A6 e-tron is festooned with tech. You’ll find no less than five screens in here, including the curved MMI panoramic display that incorporates the 11.9-inch Audi virtual cockpit instrument display and a 14.5-inch infotainment touchscreen.

Allied to this is a second 10.9-inch touchscreen for the passenger and the displays for the optional side-view cameras, now moved up to be closer to the driver’s line of sight. An augmented reality head-up display can also be found in the options list.

The displays all run on the Android Automotive OS, but using Audi’s own services – including built-in navigation with an enhanced e-tron route planner – and app store. Like the A5 (and the Mk8.5 Volkswagen Golf), the A6 e-tron features a voice control system with integrated ChatGPT AI, providing answers to general knowledge questions. The whole system can be updated over the air and, in a (worrying) growing trend across the industry, allows certain functions to be enabled via subscription.

The rest of the cabin has been designed to be as inviting and homely as possible, with a wraparound dashboard and door card design that incorporates lots of fabric trim. Options include four-zone air-conditioning, an air fragrance package, a Porsche Taycan-style electrochromic panoramic glass roof and a 20-speaker, 830-watt Bang & Olufsen Premium Sound System with headrest speakers.

As is a prerequisite in 2024, the A6 e-tron comes with a smorgasbord of driver assists as standard, including adaptive cruise control, lane departure warning, traffic sign recognition, a driver attention monitor and park assist plus. A new feature is the adaptive driving assistant plus, with provides semi-autonomous driving with lane centring assist – depending on the region, the system can use high-resolution maps and vehicle-to-X communication to improve its own driving behaviour.

The A6 and S6 e-tron will go on sale in Europe from September, with prices starting from €75,600 (RM373,000) for the A6 Sportback e-tron and rising up to €101,150 (RM499,000) for the S6 Avant e-tron. More rear- and all-wheel-drive variants will follow, including an entry-level model with a smaller battery.

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