We are there. Audi finally has an electric sedan that is not an exceptional model. Certainly, the e-tron GT had few rivals on the market, apart from a certain Taycan, but at more than 100,000 euros, the battle was on heights quite far from reality. Let’s be clear, the new A6 e-tron is not what you would call an affordable car. At more than 62,800 euros, it is part of the premium segment, but it faces more classic vehicles, including an essential Tesla Model 3 Performance. It is the latter that the A6 e-tron has chosen to face and the duel promises to be exciting.
We were able to get behind the wheel of the Audi A6 e-tron and more particularly its sportiest version, the S6 e-tron Sportback on the magnificent roads of Tenerife, at the foot of Mount Teide. A mountainous and demanding environment in which we were able to put the four-ring electric sedan to the test. Result: almost faultless which we will summarize in seven steps.
1 – Everything for aero
When it was unveiled, the final version of the A6 e-tron was mainly praised for its resemblance to the concept from which it was based. The transition from concept to production version is often synonymous with sacrifices and a gradual disappearance of design specificities in favor of more reasoned choices. The German designers did not want to make such compromises and made between this A6 and its concept a game of seven differences. So much so that the commentators’ eyes may have been diverted from the essential: the aerodynamics of the car.
Applauding the sedan’s beautiful curves also means emphasizing the excellent work that has been done to limit the A6’s wind resistance. On this point, Audi has simply beaten its own standards. The A6, particularly in its S6 version, displays a Cd of 0.21, the lowest figure ever achieved by an Audi. Even the brand’s sportiest electric car, the e-tron GT, although focused on aerodynamics, had to be satisfied with an honorable 0.24. The new sedan therefore does better and even its station wagon version displays a record value of 0.24. This score is not only attributable to the slender shape of the A6. Indeed, we had to deal with its almost 5 m long and a little less than 5 m wide. The overall design has a part to do with it, but it’s a whole set of little things that help to scrounge up a few tenths of Cx and thus improve the car’s autonomy. Among these “little” things, we can distinguish four elements:
The A6 e-tron and the S6 e-tron are masters in the subtle art of aerodynamics and this has consequences in terms of autonomy, we will come back to this.
2 – A platform designed for the future
We have sometimes been able to be harsh with the Volkswagen group’s first platform, the famous MEB, and it is undoubtedly no coincidence that Audi’s most efficient electric vehicle to date, the RS e-tron GT, has chose to turn away from it. Certainly, the technical architecture which took over from this MEB, the aptly named PPE, is much more solid. For those who have difficulty following, it is this technique which served as a working basis for the electric Porsche Macan and the Audi Q6 e-tron, two of the most noticed vehicles in 2024. The A6 e- tron therefore uses the same bases and with the same success. The strengths of the PPE platform? They are now known: a capacity to carry large battery packs (the A6 is available in 83 kWh or 100 kWh), the possibility of having four powerful motors (we will come back to this) and above all a high-level recharging capacity at 270 kW of power. In a word: 800 V in all its splendor.
3 – MMI and company
If under the hood, the standards are particularly high, the passenger compartment is also well placed. We will be brief on this point as the dashboard of the A6 e-tron is exactly the same as that of the Q6 e-tron which we were able to discover a few months ago and which we strongly recommend you read. . The triple screen interface (the third is reserved for the passenger) is still governed by the MMI system, assisted by Google Automotive. The operating system is full of customization possibilities, but it will require many minutes of use to master. On the other hand, it demonstrates Audi’s interest in new technologies and its desire to integrate them into its platform even if sometimes this integration seems to have required a shoehorn. This cult of technology is also found, and it is now a habit at Audi, on optics whose display can be personalized in a dedicated menu. New for the A6 e-tron: an illuminated rear logo which is integrated into the lights and which, despite its appearance of technological fun, also adds a touch of safety. The function is gimmicky but it will undoubtedly please people. Finally, and to finish on the interior, it would be a shame to overlook a basic but essential aspect. It feels good, both in the driver’s position (which gives the impression of being in a cockpit), and in that of a passenger, which is very comfortable.
4 – Stronger than Tesla on autonomy
No false suspense here: we won’t pretend to be able to deliver real range measurements after our first test of the Audi A6 e-tron. As superb as they are, the roads of Tenerife are not what you would call classic routes. When the route consists of going from sea level to the foot of the highest peak in Spain at an altitude of more than 2,200 meters, consumption is not typical and cannot be considered as a reference value. While waiting to put our hands back on the wheel of the A6 e-tron, and to obtain more adequate consumption, we will content ourselves with commenting on the official information, those which predict the best autonomy for Audi’s electric sedan. its category.
In fact, when we combine such work on aerodynamics with large batteries and software management of engine performance which continues to improve over the years, we can only arrive at interesting values. Thus, depending on the battery level and the type of A6 (sedan or station wagon), we oscillate between 627 km and 756 km of autonomy (WLTP). These data must obviously be correlated with the fast charging capabilities of the A6 e-tron, up to 270 kW, which allows you to go from 10 to 80% battery in less than 20 minutes. But that’s not all.
As on the Q6 e-tron, Audi has equipped its sedan with a very advanced energy recovery system and above all customizable using the paddles on the steering wheel. To the four levels of energy recovery, it will be necessary to add a very straightforward One Pedal mode. The driver will find eco-driving an additional incentive to play.
5- The Audi A6/S6 e-tron, what is it worth on the road?
Blazing acceleration (0 to 100 km/h in 3.9 seconds), a dynamic and responsive chassis, controlled suspensions that respond to the slightest roughness of the road… How difficult it was to take this S6 e-tron failing that. The merit goes not only to the electronics which instantly correct the slightest clumsiness of the driver, but to an ultra homogeneous whole which puts a smile on the lips. In smooth driving, in its comfort mode, the electric A6 enjoys rocking its occupants in cathedral silence. It’s pleasant and relaxing. Set in dynamic mode, the sedan shows the muscles and its 405 kW of engine power. We then find ourselves adjusting the driver’s seat as tight as possible and using the accelerator with the impression of being glued to the asphalt. The curves follow one another, the speed does not weaken and with it the impression that we are aboard one of the most pleasant electric vehicles we have ever been allowed to drive.
6 – The Audi A6 e-tron versus the competition
Finding some of the sensations that we experienced when testing the Q6 e-tron on the A6 e-tron made us remember the essential: how good it is to be able to drive an electric sedan! We almost forget it, but the number of these models can be counted on the fingers of both hands and those capable of competing with the latest Audi are even fewer.
On the other hand, we regret that the entry ticket is so high. The cheapest A6 e-tron starts at 62,800 euros, but the price soars when you opt for a 100 kW battery, or an estate model and reaches new heights when the sedan takes the top spot. S badge. Thus, our test model, the S6 e-tron is barely trading under 100,000 euros. Therefore, the list of potential competitors is reduced even further. On the 62,800 euro version, its most obvious rival is none other than the Tesla Model 3 Performance or the BMW i4. If the match with the first seems almost unbalanced, the A6 also maintains the advantage over the second due to its substantial autonomy. As for the versions with higher prices, they enter into direct competition with the historic competitor, Mercedes and its EQE. Here again, the 756 km of autonomy of the A6 e-tron weigh heavily in the balance sheet.
7 – Test verdict:
With this new A6 e-tron, Audi confirms a few months after the excellent Q6 that it has entered the second generation of its electric era. The time for approximations is now over and the brand with the four rings finds itself at the level where we expect it on the electric car. Certainly, the A6 e-tron and even more the S6 that we tested are premium cars, but with a certain driving quality, high-end equipment, a substantial battery and an express charging speed, they can fully assume a higher price than a Tesla Model 3 Performance. Of course, the A6 is not perfect, but its strength lies in a rather rare ability to be able to easily hide its few faults so that only its many qualities can be seen.
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