Even to the trained eye, the all-new Audi Q6 e-tron doesn’t look decidedly different. It looks, by and large, like every other Audi SUV that has launched in the last decade.
Squint and you’ll see a car that looks very similar to the second-generation Q7 unveiled back in 2015. Its angles may be sharper and its silhouette more hunkered down and purposeful, but the basic Audi shape is there. See it stationary and you may not even realise it’s an EV. It doesn’t have any green or light-blue accents, and there are no silly futuristic wheels. The only giveaway is the front grille, which is solid and doesn’t require airflow through to its nonexistent radiator.
This lack of drama and familiarity is in contrast to the fact this is an important car for Audi. It is the first production car on its new, unfortunately named Premium Platform Electric (PPE), the new electric vehicle platform it co-developed with Porsche. We can expect to see a series of models built on the PPE to follow, but this is the car that sets the initial benchmark of what to expect from the brand's next-generation of EVs.
“The Audi Q6 e-tron is a true milestone for Audi,” says Stefan Grillneder, PPE and digital innovations at the car maker. “It marks the start of a new generation of electric vehicles. The message is clear: Audi is ready. We're speeding up transformation.”
Yep, Audi is excited. So what does the Q6 e-tron offer then? All models come with twin motors, one over each axle, driving all four wheels, with 100-kW battery capacity. This is good for 383 bhp in standard Quattro Sport form, a 0-60 mph time of 5.9 seconds and a top speed of 130 mph. The top-of-the-range SQ6 e-tron gets a bump up to 483 bhp, which is good for 60 mph from a standstill in 4.3 seconds (when launch control is engaged, 4.4 seconds without) and an entirely unnecessary 142-mph top speed. All models have the same torque figures, with 275 Nm going to the front wheels and 580 Nm to the rear, so overtaking power is instantly available.
It's not surprising then that both cars feel impressively quick. The Q6 punches you out of slow-speed corners silently and efficiently, and the SQ6 does so that little bit faster. The second and a half difference in 0-60mph time doesn’t feel that big in practice. Both cars offer that initial hit of power, but continue to hammer the pedal and the surge drops off fairly quickly. There is more torque than you’ll ever realistically need, but the excitement lacks, even with the SQ6’s “e-tron sports sound,” which is a quiet faux acceleration noise.