This is the long-awaited new Audi Q6 e-tron - another fully-electric SUV to add to the German firm’s impressive stable.
And with a range of up to 381 miles between charges, it’ll go toe-to-toe with the new Porsche Macan Electric.
We first wrote about the Q6 e-tron last year, and we’ve actually already road-tested a prototype vehicle.
Now the battery-powered Q6 is finally upon us, with order books opening at the end of April this year.
Audi describes its new model as ‘the next technological leap’ in its march towards full electrification.
And you can’t argue with the looks, with the Q6 e-tron adopting the same eye-catching sporty, coupe-SUV shape as the swankier Q8 e-tron.
The latest addition to the e-tron family is built on the much-heralded new ‘PPE’ electric platform, developed in partnership by Audi and Porsche under the Volkswagen Group umbrella. And, yes, the Macan EV also sits on the PPE and gets the same 381 mile max range.
Here in the Q6 e-tron, the PPE translates into two distinct variants at launch - the entry-level Q6 e-tron quattro and the SQ6 e-tron performance model - both of which feature a large 100 kWh battery.
The regular Q6 e-tron gets power of 388 PS and a range of up to 381 miles between charges, while the sporty SQ6 e-tron ramps the power up to 517 PS.
Both are quick off the mark, with the regular Q6 e-tron quattro zooming from 0-62mph in 5.9 seconds while the rapid SQ6 e-tron takes that down to just 4.3 seconds.
Like the Porsche Macan Electric, the Audi Q6 e-tron also features state-of-the-art 800-volt architecture that supports super fast 270 kW DV charging as standard and which can put 158 miles worth of power back into the battery in just 10 minutes. You’ll get it back up to 80 percent in around 21 minutes.
Besides the swooping exterior, the Q6 e-tron also gets Audi’s fancy new OLED ‘active digital light signature’, which can be customised to your own individual tastes.
There’s a decent 526-litre boot that expands up to 1,529 litres if you lower the rear seats, while a frunk (front trunk) gives an extra 64 litres of stowage space.
In the cabin, lease customers will find a curved panoramic display consisting of a 11.9-inch virtual cockpit, and a 14.5-inch touchscreen. You can also get an extra 10.9-inch screen in the front for passengers to stream flicks.
Audi's self-learning voice assistant can be used to control numerous vehicle functions and understands more than 800 voice commands. It’ll also remember your personal routines and, for example, make sure the heated seats are automatically set at your desired level.
You can enjoy a Bang & Olufsen Premium sound system with 22 loudspeakers, four of which are integrated into the headrests of the front seats.
As for how the Q6 e-tron drives and handles, the two models available right now are all-wheel drive, while rear-wheel drive variants will enter the fray in the future.
The rear-biased torque distribution ‘enhances the dynamic driving characteristics of the Q6 e-tron’, says Audi, and for the first time in an Audi model, the rear tyres of the Q6 e-tron are wider than the front tyres to accommodate the rear-biased weight distribution, ‘for even more grip and driving dynamics’.
Standard-fit safety equipment includes a 360-degree display, swerve assist and turn assist, top-view camera, traffic-sign-based speed limiter, adaptive cruise control, autonomous emergency braking in front and rear, camera-based traffic sign recognition, intersection assist, lane departure warning, lane change assistant and exit warning system, rear cross traffic assist, rear turn assist, and advanced driver attention and fatigue monitor system.
The ‘Park Assist Plus’ tech also lets the Q6 e-tron to steer, accelerate and brake itself into parking spaces.
Prices to buy the Audi Q6 e-tron outright begin at £68,975 (or £92,950 for the SQ6 e-tron), and we’ll bring you leasing costs as and when they arrive.
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