The Audi Q6 e-tron is the first production model built on the Premium Platform Electric (PPE), and offers increased driving and charging performance, and increased efficiency with electric range of up to 381 miles (UK models). The vehicle received its official world premiere on March 18 at the auto maker’s HQ in Ingolstadt, Germany.
The PPE, developed jointly with Porsche, was described as “the next technological leap in premium electric mobility for [Audi] customers”, by Gernot Döllner, chairman of the board of management of Audi, at the world premiere.
“The PPE shows how we are pooling expertise within the Volkswagen Group and thus making electric mobility scalable. Thanks to the PPE, we are able to launch high-volume models with high technical standards in different segments and thus further electrify our portfolio,” Döllner said.
Driven by scalable electric motors, the SUV also has a new lithium-ion battery consisting of 12 modules and 180 prismatic cells with a total gross capacity of 100 kWh (94.9 net), for a range of up to 381 miles on UK models.
According to Audi, the Q6 e tron has a system output of 285kW (388ps) (power consumption in kWh/100 km combined: 19.4-17.3 (WLTP); CO2 emissions in g/km combined: 0; CO2-class A); and the SQ6 e tron has a system output of up to 380kW (517ps) when launch control is engaged (power consumption in kWh/100 km combined: 18.3-18.0 (WLTP); CO2 emissions in g/km combined: 0; CO2-class A).
Thanks to 800V technology and a maximum charging capacity of 270kW as standard, short charging stops are possible with the Q6 e-tron. Up to 158 miles can be recharged in just 10 minutes at a high-power charging station on the quattro powertrain, says Audi. The state-of-charge (SoC) can also be increased from 10% to 80% in around 21 minutes.
Equipped with Plug & Charge, the vehicle authorizes itself at compatible charging stations when the charging cable is plugged in and commences the charging process. Charging is also fully automatic. If a charging station works with 400V technology, the Audi Q6 e-tron can, for the first time, enable bank charging. The 800V battery is automatically divided into two batteries at equal voltage, which can then be charged in parallel with up to 150kW.
For the first time, says Audi, the control arms are positioned in front of the suspension arms. This results in package advantages for the positioning of the high-voltage battery.
The rear-biased torque distribution as part of a highly variable all-wheel drive system is also designed to enhance the dynamic driving characteristics of the Q6 e-tron. The different dimensions of the electric motors on the rear and front axles enable rear-biased torque distribution even under full load.
At market launch, two model variants with all-wheel drive will be available, followed by particularly efficient models with rear-wheel drive designed for range. The Q6 e-tron quattro accelerates from 0-62 mph in 5.9 seconds; the SQ6 e-tron takes just 4.3 seconds (with launch control). The vehicles’ top speeds are 130mph and 142mph, respectively.
