Electric Audi A6 Avant spied in latest photographs

• Possible range of up to 435 miles
• Drastic design departure
• Due to arrive in 2024 after A6 saloon

The Audi A6 is set to go electric for its next generation, and we’ve spotted it on test in these new spy shots. Despite heavy camouflage, the sighting gives a little insight into what the next A6 will look like in Avant estate guise. 

All-new Audi Q3 spied on test for the first time

The electric A6 is expected to drop the ‘e-tron’ moniker and will rival the likes of the Mercedes EQE and BMW i5, with the Avant version more directly competing with the upcoming BMW i5 Touring in the practical estate segment.

It’s also possible that the large red brake callipers of the prototype seen here mean it’s a sporty S6 version. Notably, the spied test car appears a little more upright than the images Audi released of an estate concept car we saw last year, trading a little of its sleek design for the benefit of extra practicality.

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Given the electric A6 won’t have to incorporate a transmission tunnel, could feature a ‘frunk’ and appears to have a long wheelbase, we can expect practicality to be a particularly strong point for the Avant.

Up front, the new A6 appears to feature a greater departure in terms of its headlight design, with a split LED setup intersected by part of the bumper, while a trim piece evoking Audi’s trademark large hexagonal grille looks to feature under the disguise. At the rear, the A6 features sleek tail lights which could be linked as a single light bar, a design cue that’s featured on other Audi electric models.

Perhaps the greatest difference between this new A6 and the current model is what is - or more accurately what isn’t - under the bonnet. The Audi A6 e-tron and A6 Avant e-tron will both sit on the new Premium Platform Electric (PPE) platform. Co-developed with Porsche, this will also provide the underpinnings for both the upcoming Audi Q6 SUV and the next-generation electric Porsche Macan.

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Audi claims that the A6 Avant e-tron concept boasts a battery that holds “around 100kWh of energy”, with the brand claiming an impressive range figure of 435 miles. Hopefully, the production version will pack a similarly-sized battery and be able to travel around the same distance on a single charge.

The dual-electric-motor, quattro all-wheel-drive setup is also expected to carry over to the production car from the concept. As seen in the e-tron GT, this set-up provides a hefty 469bhp and should accelerate the A6 from 0-62mph in “under four seconds”. For those wanting even more power, a high-performance electric RS6 Avant is also said to be in the works. 

Although not confirmed, we’d expect Audi to offer entry-level versions of the A6 Avant e-tron with a smaller battery and a single, rear-mounted electric motor. These could offer an even greater driving range than the concept and yet still deliver 0-62mph time that is still under seven seconds.

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