AUDI

Audi has revealed the new electric A6, designed on a new, dedicated platform, unlike its German rivals from BMW and Mercedes

Audi has reorganised the names of its models, reserving even numbers for electric models, meaning the new A4 will be battery-powered, as opposed to the A5, which will continue to use only combustion engines (as well as hybrids and plug-in hybrids). The same applies to the A6, which will be exclusively electric, leaving the A7 with versions capable of burning petrol and diesel. The new Audi A6 e-tron is the brand's new electric car and the most sophisticated — designed on the new Premium Platform Electric (PPE), already used in the also new Q6 e-tron SUV and by Porsche in the Macan EV —, which gives it clear advantages over the competition from BMW and Mercedes, which are still using multi-energy platforms. With a length of 4.928 metres and a wheelbase of 2.950m, the new battery-powered A6 e-tron is in line with its German rivals BMW i5 and Mercedes EQS but, unlike its German rivals, the Audi uses an exclusive platform for battery-powered vehicles, one of the most modern (the PPE, replacing the outdated and heavier MEB), while its German rivals continue to use platforms that allow the adoption of combustion engines which, due to their characteristics and versatility, end up compromising weight and, consequently, efficiency and autonomy. 

The new A6 e-tron will be available as a saloon with a Cx of 0.21 and coupé-like appearance, hence the name Sportback — due to its more inclined rear and large 5th door at the back —, but also in estate format, the traditional Avant from this manufacturer (with a Cx of 0.24), which are intended to be an alternative to SUVs and crossovers, offering more space but without the greater weight and height, which limits performance, acceleration capacity, handling and, as they are electric, greater autonomy, which tends to be one of the most appreciated features by customers of this type of vehicle. There are currently two versions of the A6 e-tron available, both with the Sportback and Avant body styles and a 100 kWh gross battery (94.9 kWh usable capacity), but with two power levels, namely the Performance with 367 hp and the S6 with 551 hp, the latter being the sportiest version at the moment, a situation that will remain until the RS6, traditionally the fastest and most powerful, appears.

The affordable A6 has 100 kWh and 750 km of autonomy... The standard version of the A6 e-tron Sportback with 367 hp is powered by a 100 kWh gross battery (94.9 kWh usable capacity), which allows it to announce 750 km of autonomy, according to the European WLTP method. In addition to this version, which shares the same platform, software, mechanics and battery with the Audi Q6 e-tron and Porsche Macan EV, Audi is also offering a sportier version, the S6, following the tradition of the German manufacturer.

The Audi A6 e-tron Performance, the most affordable, which will cost around 80 thousand euros in Europe — a similar price can be expected in Portugal, depending on the equipment level adopted — is capable of reaching 210 km/h and exceeding 100 km/h in just 5.4 seconds, very interesting figures for an entry-level version. Direct rivals from BMW (i5 eDrive40) and Mercedes (EQS 350+) claim 193 km/h and 6.0 seconds and 210 km/h and 6.5 seconds, respectively, with the BMW announcing a power output of 340 hp and the Mercedes 292 hp, compared to the Audi's 367 hp. The Audi also has the most generous battery, with 100 kWh/94.9 kWh of capacity (gross/useful), compared to 83.9/81.3 kWh of the i5 and 96 kWh of useful capacity of the EQE. 

Despite this attribute, the A6 is not the heaviest (2250 kg), considering that the i5, which has an accumulator with a 14% lower capacity, has an advantage of only 45 kg. The EQE, with a battery similar to its rival from the VW Group, announces 2415 kg, that is, 165 kg more. With the ability to accept charges of up to 270 kW, by using an 800V electrical system (instead of the 400V of its rivals), the A6 Performance charges more quickly but, at the same time, is also more efficient, announcing a consumption of 13.9 kWh/100 km, well below the 16.0 kWh/100 km of the i5 eDrive40 and the 16.1 kWh/100 km of the EQE 350+. And it is this greater efficiency that largely explains the greater autonomy of the Audi, which in this version announces a remarkable autonomy of 750 km, well above the 579 km of the BMW rival and the 689 km of the equivalent Mercedes.

The sporty A6 is currently the S6 with 551 hp... To attract customers who opt for the new electric A6 Sportback saloon or the A6 Avant estate — the latter with a particularly elegant appearance and even more attractive than the five-door saloon — but who are keen to combine the greater space with a very respectable power output, practically at the same level as what Audi has accustomed us to in the RS range with this track. Just remember that the last combustion RS6 used the 4.0 V8 biturbo and enjoyed 630 hp for a weight of 2165 kg, which allowed it to reach 280 km/h and go from 0-100 km/h in 3.4 seconds. Compared to this, which was one of the most powerful petrol versions of the RS6, the new electric S6 offers two motors, one per axle, with a total of 551 hp, which, despite weighing 2,400 kg, reaches 240 km/h and passes 100 km/h in 3.9 seconds. And, according to the German press, Audi is developing an electric RS6 with 800 hp to further increase the power level established by the new battery-powered S6.

Supplied with saloon and Avant body styles, the Audi S6 is sold for around 104 thousand euros in Europe (a similar price is expected in Portugal), and is currently the sportiest in the range. This puts the new electric car head-to-head with competitors such as the BMW i5 M60 xDrive and the Mercedes-AMG EQE 43 4Matic, sold in Portugal for 116,500 euros and 111,600 euros, respectively. Compared to the S6's 551 hp (with launch control, otherwise it offers 504 hp), which guarantees 240 km/h and 0-100 km/h in 3.9 seconds, the i5 M60 eDrive offers 601 hp, 230 km/h and 3.8 seconds from 0-100 km/h, while Mercedes offers two sporty versions, the AMG EQE 43 4Matic (210 km/h and 4.2 seconds from 0-100 km/h) and the AMG 53 4Matic (220 km/h and 3.5 seconds from 0-100 km/h).

The Audi S6 offers the advantage of recharging its battery at a power of 270 kW, compared to 205 kW for the BMW and 170 kW for the Mercedes, which considerably reduces the waiting time needed at the charging station before continuing the journey. The S6 also claims a weight of 2,400 kg (compared to 2,380 kg for the i5 — but with a smaller battery — and 2,535 kg for the EQE 43 and 2,540 kg for the EQE 53, both with an accumulator equivalent to that of the Audi), which does not prevent the saloon with the four rings from claiming an average consumption of 15.9 kWh/100 km, according to the European WLTP method, substantially better than the 18.2 kWh/100 of the i5 M60 or the 20.6 kWh/100 km of the AMG EQE 43 and the 20.9 kWh of the AMG EQE 53.

At the same time, the Audi S6 promises a range between charges of 670 km, slightly below the 750 km claimed by the electric version A6 Performance, which is less powerful and has only one motor. Still, the advantage over its German competitors is clear, as the i5 M60 xDrive claims a WLTP range of 515 km, while the AMG EQE claims 504 km for the 43 4Matic version and 500 km for the 53 4Matic.

by Mundoquatrorodas