autoevolution
 

Audi A6 Avant E-Tron Will Make People Crave Station Wagons More Than They Want SUVs

You often hear that people now only buy and desire SUVs. Perhaps what customers want are more attractive vehicles regardless of their body type, and the Audi A6 Avant e-tron will soon put that to the test. Presented as a concept, it already has people wondering about when they will be able to buy one.
Audi A6 Avant e-tron concept 59 photos
Photo: Audi
Audi A6 Avant e-tron conceptAudi A6 Avant e-tron conceptAudi A6 Avant e-tron conceptAudi A6 Avant e-tron conceptAudi A6 Avant e-tron conceptAudi A6 Avant e-tron conceptAudi A6 Avant e-tron conceptAudi A6 Avant e-tron conceptAudi A6 Avant e-tron conceptAudi A6 Avant e-tron conceptAudi A6 Avant e-tron conceptAudi A6 Avant e-tron conceptAudi A6 Avant e-tron conceptAudi A6 Avant e-tron conceptAudi A6 Avant e-tron conceptAudi A6 Avant e-tron conceptAudi A6 Avant e-tron conceptAudi A6 Avant e-tron conceptAudi A6 Avant e-tron conceptAudi A6 Avant e-tron conceptAudi A6 Avant e-tron conceptAudi A6 Avant e-tron conceptAudi A6 Avant e-tron conceptAudi A6 Avant e-tron conceptAudi A6 Avant e-tron conceptAudi A6 Avant e-tron conceptAudi A6 Avant e-tron conceptAudi A6 Avant e-tron conceptAudi A6 Avant e-tron conceptAudi A6 Avant e-tron conceptAudi A6 Avant e-tron conceptAudi A6 Avant e-tron conceptAudi A6 Avant e-tron conceptAudi A6 Avant e-tron conceptAudi A6 Avant e-tron conceptAudi A6 Avant e-tron conceptAudi A6 Avant e-tron conceptAudi A6 Avant e-tron conceptAudi A6 Avant e-tron conceptAudi A6 Avant e-tron conceptAudi A6 Avant e-tron conceptAudi A6 Avant e-tron conceptAudi A6 Avant e-tron conceptAudi A6 Avant e-tron conceptAudi A6 Avant e-tron conceptAudi A6 Avant e-tron conceptAudi A6 Avant e-tron conceptAudi A6 Avant e-tron conceptAudi A6 Avant e-tron conceptAudi A6 Avant e-tron conceptAudi A6 Avant e-tron conceptAudi A6 Avant e-tron conceptAudi A6 Avant e-tron conceptAudi A6 Avant e-tron conceptAudi A6 Avant e-tron conceptAudi A6 Avant e-tron conceptAudi A6 Avant e-tron conceptAudi A6 Avant e-tron concept
Audi is not very specific about that. The German carmaker only said that all future products based on the PPE platform “will be successively unveiled starting in 2023.” That may mean that the station wagon will arrive after the sedan version, revealed in 2021. The good news is that Audi usually unveils the A6 in all body shapes all at once.

We have recently published images of the A6 Avant e-tron prototype undergoing winter tests, which means the station wagon is already under development. It must be pretty close to the “production-oriented” concept, and Audi luckily did not hold back on the technical details.

The electric station wagon is 4.96 meters (195.3 inches) long, 1.96 m (77.2 in) wide, and 1.44 m (56.7 in) tall. Audi did not disclose its wheelbase. However, the A6 Avant e-tron concept is almost as long as the e-tron GT, which shares the PPE platform with the new station wagon. That said, we’d bet the station wagon has a similar wheelbase, at 2.90 m (114.2 in).

Using the PPE gives the A6 Avant e-tron the advantage of an 800V architecture. Like the Porsche Taycan and the e-tron GT, the electric station wagon can charge at speeds of up to 270 kW. That means that it can recharge from 5% to 80% of capacity in less than 25 minutes. In ten minutes, the car recovers 300 kilometers (186 miles) of charge.

The total range for the A6 Avant e-tron concept’ 100-kWh battery pack is above 700 km (435 mi). Considering it is not bigger than the battery pack presented by the Tesla Model S, the explanation for the station wagon to travel further is efficiency: its drag coefficient is 0.24, just 0.02 more than the A6 Sportback concept.

That does not mean that the electric station wagon saved anything on performance. It has two electric motors – one for each axle – that give it 350 kW (469 PS, not HP, as Audi informs). In terms of torque, the A6 Avant e-tron concept counts on 800 Nm (590 pound-feet).

When it speaks about acceleration, Audi is clearly already talking about the production vehicle. The company states that entry-level versions will manage to go from 0 to 100 kph (62 mph) in less than 7 seconds. Performance versions – RS, anyone? – will get there in less than 4 s. Audi did not reveal the vehicle’s top speed, but it must be electronically limited to spare the battery pack.

With the A6 Avant e-tron, Audi will demonstrate how versatile its PPE platform can be. So far used only in low sports cars, it will be nice to have the same qualities in a family car that promises this sort of performance with these good looks. Kids will go to school with a smile on their faces – hopefully.

If you liked the article, please follow us:  Google News icon Google News Youtube Instagram X (Twitter)
press release
About the author: Gustavo Henrique Ruffo
Gustavo Henrique Ruffo profile photo

Motoring writer since 1998, Gustavo wants to write relevant stories about cars and their shift to a sustainable future.
Full profile

 

Would you like AUTOEVOLUTION to send you notifications?

You will only receive our top stories