Piggybacking off last year’s A6 e-tron Sportback concept, Audi has teased us with some possible forbidden fruit: an EV wagon. The German luxury brand has debuted a wagon version of its A6 e-tron concept dubbed the A6 Avant e-tron.
The Avant e-tron is a preview of a future model set to go on sale in two years. Everything about the design is stunning. From the slanted D pillar to the short overhangs, and huge 22-inch wheels, it’s a rolling supermodel.
Even the lights are showy. Aside from the digital matrix head and taillights, which feature a design based on the OLED element inside, anyone opening the vehicle’s doors will be treated to a light show. From the press release:
Three small, high-resolution LED projectors are built into each side of the body, transforming the ground beneath them into a stage when the doors are opened – small, extended, dynamic lighting effects greet the occupants with messages in their own language.
While the design is fantastic, what really matters is how it’ll perform in the real world as an EV. In just three years, Audi plans to have 20 EV models on sale worldwide. And if they want people to take them seriously and buy them, the brand will have to deliver. The Avant e-tron promises that with some impressive battery tech.
The A6 Avant e-tron rides on VW’s new PPE (which generically stands for premium platform electric) that will also underpin the Porsche Macan EV and Q5 e-tron. An important feature of this platform, at least as far as the Avant is concerned, is the battery pack that sits between the axles of the vehicle. Audi says that it holds 100 kWh of energy. With its dual electric motors, power output is 469 horsepower and 590 lb-ft of torque. Audi is also promising some serious charging and range capability, claiming that certain models will be able to go 435 miles on a single charge.
… in the future, an Audi A6 e-tron will gleam with up to 700 kilometers (435 miles) of range (under the WLTP standard), depending on the drive system and model variant. And the strongest representatives of the series will sprint from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in less than four seconds. The values of the Sportback and the Avant only deviate slightly from one another. The drive system and battery technology also justify that title. With its 800 volt system and a charging capacity of up to 270 kW, it can take in enough energy in just 10 minutes at a fast-charging station to drive about 300 kilometers (186 miles).
With a rumored 2024 introduction for the production version, don’t get your hopes up for this thing to come to the U.S. If it’s not a crossover or crossover-like substitute, consumers don’t want it. And we all know wagons don’t sell here. The best we could hope for is to see a version of this as a next gen EV A6 Allroad. But even that’s doubtful as I’m sure Audi doesn’t sell many of those here anyway.
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