A6 shows road to more electric Audi cars

This is the Audi A6 e-tron concept, a thinly-disguised version of a new all-electric saloon which will be in showrooms in the summer of 2022. Although the car itself is interesting enough, of more interest is the hardware used in the car, which will form a basis of a new range of electric models including the next A4 and Q SUVs.

This would seem to be good news, as the A6 e-tron has an impressive specification. A 100 kWh battery will be one of the largest currently offered and gives the show car a claimed range of 438 miles between charges.

A6 e-tron has claimed range of 438 miles between charges

The concept’s two electric motors give four-wheel-drive and deliver a total output of 469bhp - that’s more than the company’s RS4 super saloon. The cheaper entry-level models will accelerate to 62mph in less than seven seconds while the high-performance models will manage it in well under four seconds.

Perhaps more relevant is the speed of charging. The heart of the Audi A6 e-tron is 800-volt technology, as already seen in the Porsche Taycan and Audi e-tron GT. This ensures that the battery can be charged much faster, with a feed of up to 270 kW possible at suitable rapid charging stations. It means just 10 minutes is enough to take on enough charge to travel almost 200 miles, and 25 minutes will take the massive battery from 5 to 80 percent full.

An 800v system means super-fast charging is possible

Special attention has been paid to making the car aerodynamic and even the paint has been designed to reduce energy consumption. It can reflect the thermal radiation in sunlight, reducing the amount of solar energy absorbed by the car’s body and meaning the air conditioning doesn’t need to work as hard.

The headlamps are another highlight. Three small, high-resolution LED projectors are built in into each side, and besides being super-efficient at illuminating the road, they can project images and text on the road or a wall. This can display warning symbols on the ground – to warn a bike rider that the car door is about to open, for example. They also have the ability to entertain. If, for example, the Audi A6 e-tron concept is parked in front of a wall during a break to recharge the battery, the driver and passengers can pass the time playing a video game projected onto it.

There’s no word on prices yet, but expect the range to start at around £50,000.