Audi’s subsequent EV is the A6 e-tron Sportback—however no station wagon for the US

MUNICH—The sedan is just not fairly lifeless—a minimum of not but. Whereas it is true that automotive patrons are voting with their wallets and choosing crossovers and SUVs, not each automaker has given up on the shape issue, even with regards to electrical autos. For instance, Audi’s subsequent EV would be the new A6 e-tron, which works on sale within the US subsequent yr.

The pedants would possibly quibble with calling the A6 e-tron a sedan, because the one we’re getting here’s a midsize five-door, that means it has a rear hatch as an alternative of a trunk. In Audi lingo, meaning it is an A6 Sportback e-tron, with extra of a two-box relatively than three-box form just like the outgoing (inner combustion engine-powered) A6. Not that that is a nasty factor in our eyes—the rear hatch will make it simpler to load or unload bigger objects (like a bicycle) into the cargo space.

“We had been decided to present the A6 e-tron the engaging proportions of the idea automotive,” mentioned Audi designer Wolf Seebers. “I am speaking concerning the traditional Sportback silhouette that Audi followers are aware of,” Seebers mentioned.

Getting that silhouette wasn’t particularly simple. One motive that automakers and their designers have gravitated away from sedans as they make EVs is that it is so much simpler to package deal a slab of lithium-ion batteries between the axles when you’ve got the additional top of a crossover or SUV to play with.

For the Porsche Taycan (and Audi e-tron GT, constructed on the identical J1 platform), that meant laying out the battery so there have been voids that created area for the rear passengers to place their toes, splendidly translated from the German as “foot garages.”

The 100 kWh battery (94.4 kWh usable) within the A6 e-tron has no foot garages regardless of its decrease flooring, however sitting within the again I discovered enough room for my decrease extremities versus sitting so my knees had been degree with my chest. That is as a result of the A6 e-tron is definitely a bit taller than Seebers and his colleagues would have favored in any other case. “We developed the inlay within the rocker panel to introduce a horizontal minimize to the automotive, including one other section to the facet profile to visually compensate for the extra top,” he mentioned.

It’s a really slippery form

Whether or not or not you want the form, it is laborious to not be impressed with how aerodynamically environment friendly it’s. The drag coefficient is simply 0.21, or a minimum of it’s if the A6 e-tron is fitted with facet view cameras. These aren’t authorized on US roads, so they will not be supplied right here, and we’re not lacking out—as with the unique Audi e-tron, the situation of the screens is just not best, and becoming typical reflective glass facet mirrors solely will increase the Cd to 0.22. And that is with wheels that vary from 19–21 inches, no much less.

The US will get three variations of the A6 when it goes on sale subsequent yr in both late spring or early summer season. There is a 362 hp (270 kW) rear-wheel drive A6 Sportback e-tron, a 422 hp (315 kW) all-wheel drive A6 Sportback e-tron quattro, and a 496 hp (370 kW) S6 Sportback e-tron, which can be all-wheel drive and which might enhance its output to 543 hp (405 kW) for brief bursts utilizing launch management.

Like the Q6 e-tron we drove not too long ago (which can be constructed utilizing PPE), the battery pack runs at 800 V and so can DC quick cost at charges of as much as 270 kW, which ought to take the pack from 10–80 p.c state of cost in simply 21 minutes. However we cannot have EPA vary estimates till nearer to the automotive arriving right here subsequent yr.

No Avant for America

What we in all probability will not get right here within the US is the A6 Avant e-tron, which is the station wagon model. Audi has no plans to import both A6 Avant e-tron or S6 Avant e-tron, as a result of if the Venn diagram of people that say they love station wagons and individuals who purchase new Audis intersects, the overlap could be very small. The automaker could also be a bit extra prepared to contemplate the thought when the RS6 e-tron arrives in a few years—begin your letter-writing marketing campaign now if that is a factor you wish to see occur.

A lot of the remainder of the A6 e-tron’s particulars are similar to the Q6 e-tron. The cabin structure could be very acquainted, though you are feeling extra enveloped by the automotive from the entrance seats than you do within the SUV. There’s the identical “Digital Stage”—Audi’s identify for the pair of screens that wrap across the driver—and an non-obligatory third display screen for the entrance seat passenger, which has an energetic privateness mode so the driving force cannot see something on that display screen whereas the automotive is in movement. The door playing cards are in all probability the most important distinction, Audi informed us.

The lights are additionally fairly comparable in idea (if not form) because the Q6 e-tron. On the entrance, there are LED daytime operating lights, and the taillights are manufactured from ten OLED panels that, in different markets, have animations and may even show warning icons. (Just like the side-view cameras, animated taillights usually are not presently allowed below federal car security laws.)

Just like the EPA vary estimates, US pricing will likely be obtainable nearer to the A6 e-tron happening sale.