A tantalizing peek at the future of electric cars, Audi has created an A6 e-tron concept that’s sexy AF.
The German marque has been pushing its “e-volution” towards electric mobility for a few years now, and the results have been nothing short of impressive. However, the new A6 e-tron concept takes things a step further and proposes a new technology architecture that will define Audi’s e-cars in the years to come.
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Dubbed the Premium Platform Electric or PPE for short, this dynamic new architecture, which was revealed t the recent Shanghai Auto Show, will be incorporated into new models from 2022 and will allow for both SUVs with a high ground clearance and dynamically styled models with a lower ride height, such as the upcoming Audi A6 e-tron.
Sporting the Audi A6 emblem, the concept car underscores its place in the brand’s luxury-class model series. An electrified drive system already has a long tradition in the Audi A6 – after a full hybrid version that was released back in 2011, the current Audi A6 TFSIe made its debut in 2019.
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Unlike previous models, however, the new Audi A6 e-tron concept relies exclusively on electric power, and the reality is the only thing it has in common with the current A6 are its dimensions. Designed as a striking Sportback, the design language of the concept A6 is a foretaste of Audi’s future production models and provides clear indications of just how dynamic and elegant Audi’s future electric-powered luxury class models will look.
The PPE technology will ensure that what the car’s lines imply is actually translated into dynamic driving performance and everyday suitability; depending on the selected drive system and model version, the Audi A6 e-tron is expected to boast a range of more than 700 kilometres (compared to the 2019’s 91km) while the most powerful members of the family will sprint from 0 to 100 km/h in less than four seconds.
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The A6 e-tron exhibits minimal aerodynamic drag – which initially translates into lower energy consumption and therefore extended range while fine-tuning in the wind tunnel has resulted in an organic design with exceptional elegance and harmony down to the last detail.
Large 22-inch wheels and short overhangs, the flat cabin, and the wide coupe roof arch give the vehicle proportions distinctly reminiscent of a sports car. The absence of hard edges results in smooth transitions between convex and concave surfaces throughout the body, an effect that is accentuated by the slope of the rear side window, eye-catching quattro wheel arches, and sleek, camera-based virtual exterior mirrors at the base of the A-pillar.
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From the front, Audi fans will love the large enclosed Singleframe grille, which is bordered at the bottom by deep air intakes for cooling the drivetrain, battery, and brakes. The flat headlight bezels extend far into the sides of the laterally sweeping front end, underscoring the horizontally aligned architecture of the vehicle. The upper rear end is also shaped to create an aerodynamically functional breakaway edge, while the rear diffuser’s generously sized air outlet is integrated into the spoiler area.
not only does the Audi A6 concept’s technoid-looking colour – which has been dubbed “Heliosilver” – accentuate the shapes of the body with a three-dimensional depth effect, but it’s also designed to reflect thermal radiation, thus reducing energy consumption, Smart eh?
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The new concept also comes with some savvy features up its sleeve, including three small, high-resolution LED projectors that are built in into each side of the body, transforming the ground beneath them into a stage when the doors are opened – small extended dynamic lighting effects greet the occupants with messages in their own language and also broadcast warning symbols on the ground to warn bike riders and pedestrians that the door is about to open.
Another four high-resolution LED projectors – inconspicuously integrated into the corners of the vehicle – generate turn signal projections, while Digital Matrix LED front headlights achieve an almost cinematic quality – they can even project an interactive smartphone-controlled video game onto a wall in front!
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The heart of the Audi A6 e-tron concept’s drive technology – and that of all future PPE models – is the 800-volt charging technology. Like the Audi e-tron GT before it, this ensures that the Audi A6 e-tron concept’s battery can be charged with up to 270 kW in a very short time at fast-charging stations – in less than 25 minutes, you can charge the Audi A6 e-tron concept’s 100 kWh battery from 5 to 80 percent.
Isn’t the future grand?
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