Photo: CarPix
The upcoming Audi Q6 e-tron has been delayed, together with its cousin, the electric Porsche Macan. Nevertheless, Audi engineers continue to test various features of the electric mid-size SUV, and our photographers seized the opportunity to snap a detailed picture of the interior.
Things are not going exactly to plan at Volkswagen Group, especially considering the development of electric vehicles. The next-generation electric platform was expected to come with revolutionary features, first on the Porsche Macan. The electric SUV was supposed to be already introduced to the market, with deliveries initially planned for early next year. Unfortunately, ongoing problems at Volkswagen’s software division Cariad led to delays.
The situation has prompted Porsche to push the Macan EV’s unveil one year later, to September 2023, with deliveries well into 2024. The Audi Q6 e-tron would come even later unless the Volkswagen Group decides to launch them simultaneously. It also led Volkswagen Group to reconsider the underlying software, ditching the advanced autonomous driving tech. Instead, the duo will feature an updated 1.2 version of the current software. Even this is behind schedule, as it was supposed to launch on the existing EV crop last year.
If there’s one good thing out of this situation, the engineers have more room to fine-tune the vehicles. It’s also a good opportunity for our photographers to snap more detailed pictures with the new dashboard. Compared to current Audi models, it impresses with its understated design. Where Audi used to cram countless LCDs, there’s now a toned-down, classic approach.
There’s not much to talk about inside the cockpit except a digital instrument panel and a central infotainment display. The center console is also much simpler than before. We’d say Audi learned a lesson from Tesla, although its interface is less intuitive than its rival’s Model Y.
Going deeper under the skin of the Audi Q6 e-tron, we already know it rides on the Premium Platform Electric (PPE) architecture shared with the Porsche Macan EV. It’s a bespoke electrical architecture co-developed by Porsche and Audi, which will not be used for other models outside the two brands. Like the Taycan, it features an 800-volt electrical system with a battery pack in the 100-kWh range. The peak power should be around 550 horsepower, slightly below its Porsche counterpart.
The situation has prompted Porsche to push the Macan EV’s unveil one year later, to September 2023, with deliveries well into 2024. The Audi Q6 e-tron would come even later unless the Volkswagen Group decides to launch them simultaneously. It also led Volkswagen Group to reconsider the underlying software, ditching the advanced autonomous driving tech. Instead, the duo will feature an updated 1.2 version of the current software. Even this is behind schedule, as it was supposed to launch on the existing EV crop last year.
If there’s one good thing out of this situation, the engineers have more room to fine-tune the vehicles. It’s also a good opportunity for our photographers to snap more detailed pictures with the new dashboard. Compared to current Audi models, it impresses with its understated design. Where Audi used to cram countless LCDs, there’s now a toned-down, classic approach.
There’s not much to talk about inside the cockpit except a digital instrument panel and a central infotainment display. The center console is also much simpler than before. We’d say Audi learned a lesson from Tesla, although its interface is less intuitive than its rival’s Model Y.
Going deeper under the skin of the Audi Q6 e-tron, we already know it rides on the Premium Platform Electric (PPE) architecture shared with the Porsche Macan EV. It’s a bespoke electrical architecture co-developed by Porsche and Audi, which will not be used for other models outside the two brands. Like the Taycan, it features an 800-volt electrical system with a battery pack in the 100-kWh range. The peak power should be around 550 horsepower, slightly below its Porsche counterpart.
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