First Look: Audi A6 e-tron Sportback concept

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If anyone thought Audi’s ambitious plan of ‘going electric’ was just more of the green hyperbole we’re wading through these days, the last month or so should erase any doubt.

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First it was the debut of the 2022 e-tron GT and RS e-tron GT , followed last week by the reveal of the 2022 Q4 e-tron and Q4 Sportback e-tron , and today at the 2021 Shanghai auto show, Audi presented an e-tron concept that is the first to use the automaker’s all-new electrified architecture, which was developed in a partnership with Porsche.

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And yes, we did not leave out the ‘virtual’ in that auto show description. There is press in attendance, and it will be open to the public April 21 to 28.

The Audi A6 e-tron Sportback concept ushers in a new era for the company’s EV stable, thanks to the Premium Platform Electric (PPE) technology, and will serve as the template for Audi’s first production EVs in the C-class and B-class segments in 2022. The company says the PPE will be used for low-ride height vehicles, including the A6 e-tron based on the concept revealed in China today, and high-ground clearance SUVs.

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The battery size and wheelbase of PPE vehicles are scalable, so they can be used in different market segments, and the platform will include quattro versions with one electric motor each mounted to the front and rear axles, and basic versions designed for minimum consumption and maximum range, featuring a single electric motor mounted to the rear axle.

In terms of the A6 e-tron concept, power comes from a 100-kWh battery pack with a WLTP range of 700 kilometres and a fast-charging capability up to 270 kW. The PPE features 800-volt charging technology. Using a DC charger, that translates to recouping 300 km of range in 10 minutes, according to Audi; and in less than 25 minutes, juicing up from five to 80 per cent. The Audi A6 e-tron concept’s two electric motors are capable of delivering a total output of 350 kW (469 hp) and a torque of 800 Newton metres.

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What is becoming a design hallmark of EVs, particularly sedans and coupes, is aerodynamics. A slippery shape cutting through the air reduces drag on the vehicle, thus demands less of the battery to push the vehicle along. A6 e-tron designers clearly embraced this philosophy, sculpting the Sportback to achieve a cD value of 0.22, what Audi calls “unprecedented in the electrified C-segment.”

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In terms of its proportions, the A6 e-tron concept is 4.96 metres in length, 1.96 metres in width, and 1.44 metres in height, which puts it very much in the same size category of the current Audi A6/A7 series models. On that note, when the A6 e-tron production car debuts next year, it will not replace the gasoline-powered A6, as the company says it is committed to continue to produce it for specific global markets for some time yet.

The concept also reflects another design trend for the C-segment: making sedans look like coupes. Its flat cabin, wide coupe-like roof arch, short overhangs, and massive 22-inch wheels contribute to this illusion, giving what is in fact a four-door luxury car the look and spirit of a sports car.

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Judging from the recent history of EV concepts being turned into production cars — notably the Mercedes EQS — the A6 e-tron road-going vehicle will look very much like the concept. Unlike gas-powered concepts — which, when they make the way to the showroom, have been greatly altered due to the inconvenience of things like the engine, radiators, the transmission tunnel, and the fuel tank — EV concepts translate over to production vehicles with very little fuss and bother about fitting essential drivetrain components under the skin.

And speaking of the skin, the technoid-looking colour of the concept’s paint is called Heliosilver, which according to Audi press notes, “accentuates the shapes of the body with a three-dimensional depth effect, which is particularly visible in the area around the quattro wheel arches.”

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Other bits of ‘techy-bling’ include Digital Matrix LED and digital OLED technology in the flat headlights and taillights that are slim and flush with the body design. The front headlights also provide something to while away the time if you are parked in front of a wall during a break to recharge the vehicle. Instead of on a small screen in the cockpit, a video game’s virtual landscapes can be projected onto the wall in XXL format using the Digital Matrix LED headlights. Players control the game via smartphone, or play a game Audi created specifically for the Audi A6 e-tron concept.

The taillights get into the tech action, too, with a new generation of digital OLED elements arrayed in a continuous strip of lights that can be used to create customizable variations of digital light signatures and dynamic lighting displays that can be adapted to the customer’s personal taste. And three small, high-resolution LED projectors that are built into each side of the body, project dynamic lighting effects onto the ground when the doors are opened with messages in the owner’s language.

Typical of auto show concept cars, we have no idea what the cabin, controls or dashboard looks like in the A6 e-tron, but we expect it will borrow many of the bits and pieces found in the current e-tron stable.

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