As the second model on the PPE platform, the upper mid-size vehicle picks up on the familiar product strengths of performance, range, efficiency, and charging. The exterior is powerful, sporty, and perfectly proportioned and the new design philosophy defines the interior. The A6 e-tron and S6 e-tron can be ordered from September 2024 as Sportback and Avant versions. Irish pricing to be confirmed in coming weeks.
The exterior: elegant and progressive
The body’s clean design focuses on dynamism, progressiveness, and elegance. The front is simultaneously harmonious and expressive, highlighted by slim daytime running lights and wide grille make the A6 e-tron appear flat and wide on the road. The rear combines sporty elegance with clean architecture, with a continuous three-dimensional light strip, a striking spoiler lip and eye-catching rear diffuser of the Sportback to further emphasise the sporty and dynamic look of the rear.
The Audi A6 e-tron offers a range of wheel options, including standard 19-inch five-arm dynamic wheels while the S line gets 20-inch “five-spoke tripod” wheels in graphite grey. The S6 e-tron comes with 20-inch wheels as standard. Stunning wheels up to 21 inches are available as an option.
The exterior design varies between the basic, S line, and S model variants, with up to eight exterior colour options available at market launch. These include standard colours like Magnetic grey solid and metallic options like Glacier white and Mythos black. Exclusive colours for the S line and S model include Daytona grey pearl effect and Siam beige metallic. These colours and design elements emphasise the car’s powerful and progressive aesthetic, making the A6 e-tron a standout in its class.
Best in class: outstanding aerodynamics and innovative lighting technology
Superior aerodynamics is a core component of the long history of successes for Audi. The sporty design and set-up of the new Audi A6 e-tron contribute to its excellent aerodynamics and ensure an exceptionally low cw value of 0.21 for the Sportback, making it the best Audi of all time in terms of aerodynamics and the most aerodynamic vehicle in the entire VW Group. The Avant also achieves a very good cw value of 0.24, making it one of the best in its segment.
The new Audi A6 e-tron, exemplifies Audi’s leadership in lighting design and technology, the headlights and rear lights have a three-dimensional design and offer digital light signatures, merging the physical and digital worlds. The front offers digital daytime running lights with LED technology as an option as well as second-generation digital OLED rear lights.
For the first time, the digital OLED rear lights 2.0 can communicate with the immediate surroundings (car-to-x). Audi has also further developed its safety functions. The proximity detection that is already familiar from other Audi models has been expanded in the new A6 e-tron to include the communication light. It warns other road users of accidents and breakdowns. In addition to the regular taillight graphics, the communication light displays a specific static taillight signature with integrated warning symbols in the digital OLED rear light 2.0 in critical driving or traffic situations.
The technology used also sets new standards in terms of individualisation: with eight digital light signatures in the newly designed digital daytime running lights of the Matrix LED headlights and in the digital OLED rear lights 2.0, drivers can personalise their A6 e-tron in a completely new way, depending on the selected equipment.
Audi MMI panoramic display, digital exterior mirrors and smart panoramic glass roof with switchable transparency
The interior of the Audi A6 e-tron is consistently geared towards the user, with three-dimensional and high-contrast design which deliberately places elements in the foreground or background, creating a spatial architecture tailored to the occupants. The MMI panoramic display, combines an 11.9-inch Audi virtual cockpit and the 14.5-inch MMI touch display, together with the 10.9-inch MMI front passenger display, forming a digital stage with visually clear design.
Active Privacy Mode allows the front seat passenger to enjoy entertainment content without distracting the driver. Audi is taking a significant step forward in display technology with the optional second-generation augmented reality head-up display (AR HuD), another central element of the digital stage. The display reflects a large, tilted image plane across the windshield towards the driver. It shows relevant information such as speed, traffic signs, and navigation symbols.
An optional panoramic glass roof enhances the vehicle while minimising direct sunlight and becomes opaque at the touch of a button.
Infotainment – integrating the digital world of customers
The infotainment system uses Android Automotive OS as its operating system updating its content via over-the-air updates. The latest Audi connect services and the enhanced e-tron route planner, which comes as standard, are always up to date. Apps such as YouTube are available via the Audi Application Store for third-party apps, which is integrated directly into the MMI and does not require a smartphone.
At the A6 e-tron launch, various applications will be available: Music, Video, Gaming, Navigation, Parking and Charging, and News Services. The store is constantly expanding, and the app portfolio is market-specific. In addition to the improved and more intuitive touch operation, the new display and operating concept addresses global trends toward interaction. The vehicle’s self-learning voice assistant, the Audi assistant, can control numerous vehicle functions.
In the future, the Audi assistant will also have access to additional online content, such as weather and general knowledge. Via a connection to ChatGPT (provided via Microsoft Azure OpenAI Service) customers can interact with their car using natural language and listen to the information while driving. The Audi assistant automatically recognises whether to execute a vehicle function, search for a destination, or, for example, provide the weather forecast. The Audi system only forwards queries to ChatGPT when it cannot answer general knowledge questions. Data security is the highest priority; to ensure optimal privacy, all questions and answers are deleted after processing, furthermore, ChatGPT never has access to vehicle data.
The Bang & Olufsen Premium Sound System with headrest loudspeakers ensures optimum sound. A highly efficient amplifier drives 20 loudspeakers with 830 watts of power. Four of these are integrated into the front seat headrests, enabling Audi to provide personal surround sound, personal navigation announcements, and one-on-one phone calls. Additional loudspeakers in the A-pillar and mid-range speakers create an incomparable 3D surround sound. The dynamic interaction light offers a variety of communication functions, supporting the vehicle’s interaction with the occupants. It spans the interior and cockpit below the windshield in the shape of a generous arc.
Impressive range and charging performance
Powerful, compact, and highly efficient electric motors and a lithium-ion battery newly developed for the PPE consisting of twelve modules and 180 prismatic cells with a total gross capacity of 100 kWh (94.9 kWh net) ensure a range of up to over 750 kilometers* (A6 Sportback e-tron) and over 720 kilometers* (A6 Avant e-tron). With a system output of up to 270 kW in the A6 Sportback/Avant e-tron performance, the new Audi A6 e-tron provides the sporty driving experience Audi is known for. The Audi A6 e-tron performance accelerates from zero to 100 km/h in 5.4 seconds. Its top speed is 210 km/h. The S6 e-tron provides a system output of 370 kW (405 kW with launch control).
The S6 Sportback e-tron and the S6 Avant e-tron accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 3.9 seconds. The top speed is 240 km/h. Its range is up to over 670 kilometers (S6 Sportback e-tron) and up to over 640 kilometers (S6 Avant e-tron).
The A6 e-tron performance (270 kW) with rear-wheel drive and the S6 e-tron (370 kW) with quattro all-wheel drive, both as Sportback and Avant, will be available on launch. further models with rear-wheel drive and quattro all-wheel drive will follow at a later date.
Thanks to 800-volt technology and a maximum DC charging capacity of 270 kW as standard, short charging stops are possible with the Audi A6 e-tron. This means the A6 Sportback e-tron performance can be recharged at an appropriate charging station (High Power Charging, HPC) for a range of up to 310 kilometers in just ten minutes. The State of Charge (SoC) increases from 10 to 80 percent in 21 minutes.
The advanced recuperation (regenerative braking) system is an important component in increasing the efficiency and range of the Audi A6 e-tron. This system can handle around 95 percent of everyday braking processes. The Audi A6 e-tron recuperates up to 220 kW. Recuperation occurs on the front and rear axles, with minor deceleration handled by the rear axle for efficiency reasons. In addition, a higher regenerative braking performance is possible on the rear axle due to the more powerful electric motor.
Market launch
The powerful, sporty and perfectly proportioned A6 e-tron and the S6 e-tron, both as Sportback and Avant, will be available to order at your local Audi dealer from September 2024. Rear-wheel and quattro drive will follow at a later date.
Commenting on the new Audi A6 e-tron model range, Audi Ireland Brand Director Damien O’Sullivan: “As the second model range to come off the PPE Platform we cannot wait to have the Audi A6 e-tron in Irish Audi dealerships and on Irish roads. Audi continues to push technology and design, the aerodynamics of this vehicle are incredible and the technology and power within is groundbreaking. With over 700 kms* of range and the outstanding charging times this model is another option for Irish consumers wanting to switch to electric driving or to upgrade and continue their electric experience.”
Fuel/electric power consumption and emissions values of the models named above:
Audi A6 Sportback e-tron performance
Combined electric power consumption in kWh/100 km 15.9-14.0; combined CO2 emissions in g/km (g/mi): 0 (0) CO2-class: A
Audi A6 Avant e-tron performance
Combined electric power consumption in kWh/100 km: 17.0-14.8; combined CO2 emissions in g/km (g/mi): 0 (0) CO2-class: A
Audi S6 Sportback e-tron
Combined electric power consumption in kWh/100 km: 16.7-15.7; combined CO2 emissions in g/km (g/mi): 0 (0) CO2-class: A
Audi S6 Avant e-tron
Combined electric power consumption in kWh/100 km: 17.4-16.4; combined CO2 emissions in g/km (g/mi): 0 (0) CO2-class: A
Audi closed 2023 with around 1.9 million global sales, around 178,000 of which were fully electric vehicles. 5,258 new cars were delivered to Irish customers, securing a 4.4% market share for the brand in Ireland. Audi leads the way in the premium automotive market in Ireland, with a market share of 25.2%.
