New Audi Q6 e-tron SUV squares up to Tesla with 388-mile range

• Fully electric SUV
• Up to 388 miles of range
• Costs from £68,975

The all-new Audi Q6 e-tron electric SUV has arrived, boasting an impressive range, a premium cabin and the latest in Audi’s EV tech. Like the majority of carmakers in Europe, Audi is on a mission to rapidly expand its EV lineup, and the Q6 e-tron is the latest model designed to sway buyers away from typical petrol and diesel-powered SUVs.

Using the same platform that underpins the all-new electric Porsche Macan, the Q6 e-tron sits in an important market segment for Audi. It’s only slightly larger than the Q5 SUV – the brand’s best-seller – so hopes will be high that the Q6 e-tron can deliver similarly strong sales across the globe. Starting from nearly £69,000, it’s certainly more expensive than the Q5, but a more affordable model is set to join the ranks at a later date, costing closer to £55,000.

We had the chance to drive a prototype of the Q6 e-tron last year, so you can read our first impressions before we get behind the wheel of the production car.

What does the Audi Q6 e-tron look like?

In keeping with Audi tradition, the exterior of the Q6 e-tron is fairly conservative, sticking to familiar chunky, five-door SUV proportions. It sits between the Q4 e-tron and Q8 e-tron in Audi’s range of electric SUVs at 4,771mm in length – roughly the same as a Mercedes EQC or a Range Rover Velar.

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The front end features Audi’s latest headlight technology. They’re split into two units; the lower houses the main and high beams, whereas the upper section uses 61 individual LED segments to create customisable appearances for the daytime-running lights. The lights sit either side of Audi’s 'Singleframe’ grille, although here it’s largely blanked off and body-coloured.

Moving along the sides of the Q6 e-tron, you’ll find bulging wheelarches and heavy bodywork creases that draw inspiration from the e-tron GT saloon, along with black lower door trims as found on the Q8 e-tron. Both sides of the Q6 e-tron get their own charging port, too, to make plugging in that little bit easier.

At the rear, the customisable theme continues with a pair of OLED tail-lights that can produce various graphic designs and effects.

What about the interior of the Audi Q6 e-tron?

The Audi Q6 e-tron hails in a new generation of interior design for the brand. In a move similar to the latest BMWs, the driver’s display and central infotainment screen now sit together on one giant, sweeping panel on top of the dashboard. Audi’s Virtual Cockpit uses an 11.9-inch screen ahead of the driver, while the central screen stretches 14.5-inches. The front passenger gets their very own separate 10.1-inch screen to watch and listen to media and control cabin settings.

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The lack of physical buttons suggests that all the main controls for climate and media have migrated to the central touchscreen, although there’s a new voice command system that can be used instead. Elsewhere, you’ll find a row of three seats in the middle, with a 526-litre boot behind them. Open the front bonnet and you’ve even got a handy 64-litre space of additional storage.

What about the range, specs and performance of the Audi Q6 e-tron?

Underpinning the Q6 e-tron is the ‘PPE’ platform, developed alongside Porsche for its new electric Macan. At launch, Audi will offer the Q6 e-tron alongside a performance-focused SQ6 e-tron, with 382bhp and 510bhp respectively. The latter will be able to keep up with some of the quickest electric SUVs out there, with a 0-62mph time of 4.3 seconds, although the Q6 isn’t far behind at 5.9 seconds.

Both use a 100kWh battery, providing enough juice for a range of up to 388 miles in the Q6 e-tron, dropping slightly for the SQ6 due to its larger wheels and wider tyres. That’s considerably further than the Tesla Model Y Long Range, while Audi claims the electric motors are the quietest and most efficient used in any EV to date.

A single-motor, rear-wheel drive Q6 e-tron will appear at a later date with either a smaller 83kWh or the 100kWh battery pack from the dual-motor models. Opt for the bigger pack, and the range will exceed that of the dual-motor model.

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Charging speeds of up to 270kW are possible – if you can find a suitable public rapid-charger – allowing for a 10-80% top up in 28 minutes. Home charging is handled by an 11kW on-board charger, with later cars getting a 22kW system. A heat pump comes as standard fitment, and there’s the usual EV regenerative braking, too.

How much does the Audi Q8 e-tron cost?

At launch the Q6 e-tron will start from £68,975, while the sporty SQ6 e-tron will command a heftier £92,950. The single-motor Q6 e-tron with the smaller of the two battery packs should start from around £55,000 when it goes on sale at a later date. As with Audi’s other SUVs, expect a coupe-esque Sportback model to appear, as well as an even faster RS Q6 e-tron.

There are plenty of electric SUVs on sale today – read our top 10 list of the best…