Audi’s electric vehicle lineup is expanding as the company has introduced the new Q6 Sportback e-tron and SQ6 Sportback e-tron. They’re stylish crossover coupes that will debut at the Paris Motor Show and will arrive in the United States next spring or summer. The models follow in the footsteps of the Q6 and SQ6 e-tron, but follow a tried and true formula pioneered by the Q4 and Q8 Sportback e-trons. As a result, they have a rakish windscreen that flows into a sportier roof. They’re joined by a compact greenhouse and an angular rear window. Besides looking more dynamic, the crossover coupes have a lower drag coefficient of 0.26. This bests the regular model by 0.02 and it enables the Sportback to have a range of up to 656 km. While the crossover coupe shares its length and wheelbase with the regular model, the Sportback variant sits up to 37 mm lower.
Moving inside, there’s a high-tech
interior with an 11.9-inch digital instrument cluster and a 14.5-inch
infotainment system running Android Automotive OS. Besides the standard
displays, customers can get an augmented reality head-up display and a
10.9-inch front passenger display. If that’s not fancy enough, the voice
assistant has been ‘supercharged’ by ChatGPT and this enables it to recognize
over 800 commands. Customers can also opt for a 20-speaker Bang & Olufsen
premium audio system, which has four-speakers integrated into the front
headrests.
Designers focused on sustainability and
customers will find an assortment of eco-friendly materials that incorporate
recycled elements. The roof lining, pillars, and sun visors are covered in
Draft, which is a “fabric made with 100 percent recycled polyester.” Customers
can also get other fabrics made from recycled materials such as Elastic
Melange. While Sportback variants aren’t known for their practicality, the
latest crossover coupe has a 64 liter frunk and a cargo
compartment that holds 511 liters of luggage. The latter area
can be expanded to 1,373 liters by folding the rear seats
down.
All models ride on the Premium Platform
Electric and the entry-level Q6 Sportback e-tron has an 83 kWh battery pack as
well as a rear-mounted motor producing up to 288 hp. This
enables the crossover to accelerate from 0-100 km/h in seven seconds
flat and travel up to 545 km on a single charge. Customers seeking
more range and power can upgrade to the Q6 Sportback e-tron performance. It has
a larger 100 kWh battery and a beefier motor developing up to 322 hp. This cuts the dash to 100 km/h to 6.6 seconds, while also
increasing the range up to 656 km. If you want all-weather
traction, look no further than the 383 hp Q6 Sportback e-tron
quattro. This dual-motor variant runs from 0-100 km/h in 5.9 seconds
and can travel up to 636 km between charging stops.
That brings us to the 510 hp SQ6 Sportback e-tron, which can hit 100 km/h in just 4.3 seconds.
The all-wheel drive crossover has a range of 607 km and a top speed
of 230 km/h, which is 20 km/h faster than the mainstream
versions. When the battery is low, customers can make use of the 225 kW, 260
kW, and 270 kW DC fast charging capability. They enable the battery to go from
a 10% to 80% charge in as little as 22 minutes.
German pricing starts at € 65,900 while UK
customers will need to shell out £ 62,475. U.S. pricing will be announced closer
to launch, but expect a healthy premium over the Q6 e-tron, which begins at
US6 3,800.
