Audi has launched a sequence of pictures displaying its upcoming Q6 e-tron electrical SUV being put by means of its paces within the snowy plains of far northern Europe.
The “close-to-production” Q6 e-tron prototype remains to be carrying a psychedelic black-and-white wrap to cowl up its finer design particulars, although we will make out its sharp LED lighting signatures in addition to its new break up headlight design.
Audi has confirmed its new EV can be out there with each SUV and coupe-styled Sportback physique variants, and it’ll be based mostly on the brand new Premium Platform Electrical (PPE) structure co-developed with Porsche.
Different new fashions confirmed for the PPE toolkit to date embody the upcoming Audi A6 e-tron and the next-gen Porsche Macan EVs.
This new structure will function an 800V on-board electrical system, “highly effective and environment friendly electrical motors, an progressive battery and charging administration system, and a newly developed electronics structure”.
Audi notes the Q6 e-tron represents “the subsequent main step within the electrification and digitalisation” of the model’s mannequin vary.
In keeping with the media launch, the luxurious arm of the Volkswagen Group plans to introduce “greater than” 20 new fashions by 2025, together with “greater than” 10 new fully-electric fashions.
The corporate has dedicated to sustainable manufacturing operations, and has an in-house battery meeting plant that “underpins Audi’s dedication to electrical mobility”.
Audi has already confirmed the brand new Q6 e-tron will begin manufacturing at its Ingolstadt plant later in 2023, set to be constructed alongside the present A4 and A5 strains – although the power will ultimately pivot to only producing EVs.
The plant, situated by Audi’s world headquarters, will function a blueprint for the corporate’s transformation of its world factories.
By way of the place it sits throughout the Audi SUV line-up, the Q6 e-tron would be the EV companion to the Q5 in the identical method the present This autumn e-tron sits alongside the Q3.
The Q6 e-tron shares underpinnings with the brand new Porsche Macan EV a lot in the identical method the present Q5 has household ties to the combustion-engined Macan.
Whereas particulars of the electrical drivetrain are nonetheless to be revealed, the Macan EV will reportedly provide as much as 450kW and 1000Nm in its most potent type, a drivetrain that can possible type the premise of a mooted RS Q6 e-tron efficiency hero.
Abroad experiences point out the PPE structure helps lithium-ion battery packs with round 100kWh of capability, whereas the 800V structure permits for charging at as much as 270kW, good for a 5 to 80 per cent cost in 25 minutes.
Anticipate a manufacturing reveal for the Audi Q6 e-tron and Q6 e-tron Sportback within the coming months, forward of a European gross sales launch earlier than the tip of 2023.
It’s nonetheless to be confirmed if and once we’re more likely to see the Q6 e-tron in Australian showrooms, although the corporate’s world electrification push suggests we’ll see the EV crossover Down Underneath in some unspecified time in the future, doubtlessly in 2024 or 2025.
Audi Australia at present gives the e-tron and e-tron Sportback electrical SUVs, in addition to the brand new e-tron GT and RS e-tron GT four-door sedan that shares its underpinnings with the Porsche Taycan. The e-tron and e-tron Sportback can be renamed to Q8 e-tron and Q8 e-tron Sportback later this yr when the facelifted vary arrives.
The smaller This autumn e-tron and This autumn e-tron Sportback, based mostly on the identical VW Group MEB platform because the VW ID.3 and ID.4, in addition to the Cupra Born due right here imminently, are nonetheless to be correctly locked in for Australia regardless of being on sale in Europe and the UK for a lot of years.
Audi’s native managing director, Jeff Mannering, not too long ago mentioned the Australian arm is “pushing for” a 2024 gross sales launch for the This autumn e-tron, although stopped wanting noting a agency arrival time-frame.
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MORE: Audi Q6 e-tron manufacturing to begin in 2023