Audi’s new electric A6 e-tron arrives with over 450 miles of range and bold design

Audi has unveiled its latest electric vehicle to join its line-up of battery-powered models – the A6 e-tron.

It marks a significant change for the A6, which enters into its sixth generation with solely battery-powered setups available. No petrol, diesel or plug-in hybrid variations will be accompanying this latest A6, though Audi’s new naming structure will see petrol and diesel A6 models rebadged as A7 to help differentiate between combustion and battery-powered cars.

Expected to go on sale in the UK on September 2 – before which official pricing and specifications will be announced – the new A6 e-tron will be available in both Sportback and Avant layouts and incorporates a variety of new technological features such as ‘virtual’ side mirrors which operate via cameras and an illuminated version of Audi’s ‘rings’ badge at the rear.

An optional panoramic sunroof will also be available and thanks to polymer-dispersed liquid crystal – or PDLC – can be taken from transparent to opaque at the touch of a button.

Courtesy of a large 94.9kWh battery, the A6 e-tron is accompanied by a claimed range of 450 miles in the Sportback, or 430 miles in the Avant. Base versions get 371bhp from a rear-mounted electric motor which enables a 0-60mph time of 5.2 seconds and a top speed of 130mph. Audi says that ‘final electric driving range’ for UK-specification cars will be confirmed on September 2, however.

Range-topping S6 versions, meanwhile, gain an additional motor on the front axle which brings all-wheel-drive and boosts the total output of the car to 496bhp and drops the 0-60mph time to 3.7 seconds. The top speed is increased to 149mph, too.

With a maximum charging rate of 270kW, the A6 e-tron can be topped up to 10 to 80 per cent in 21 minutes when hooked up to a suitably rapid charger.

Inside, the A6 e-tron features a large central infotainment system which uses Android Automotive as its base software. This gives instant access to a number of third-party apps – such as YouTube – without the need for a smartphone connection.