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By Jonathan Crouch

The Q6 e-tron raises the bar when it comes to what we can expect from Audi EVs. Jonathan Crouch takes a look.

Ten Second Reviewword count: 48

The Q6 e-tron. At first glance, just another premium all-electric Audi SUV, the next step up from the Q4 e-Tron. Actually though, it could hardly be more significant thanks to it's all new Porsche co-developed PPE platform that will undergird forthcoming Audi electric models into the foreseeable future.

Backgroundword count: 170

A 'technological leap'. Audi thinks that's what this Q6 e-tron is, familiar though the packaging might look. Like its similarly-sized combustion counterpart the Q5, it shares much with an equivalent Porsche, in this case the Macan Electric. That obvious rival also has this Q6 e-tron's new 'PPE' 'Premium Performance Electric' platform, the first installation of ultra-rapid charging 800V architecture in an Audi SUV. It's also shared with the A6 e-tron and is a big step forward - the point, you could argue, from which the technology of electric Audis really starts to get serious. An EV of this model size is over-due for Audi, a brand that until this point hasn't really had an electric SUV naturally sized to take on key contenders in the upper mid-sized premium segment like the Jaguar I-PACE, the BMW iX and the Mercedes EQE SUV. But the competition in this class is fierce, so this, the first electric Audi to be built at its company's Ingolstadt base, will need to be very good indeed.

Engines and Tech Specword count: 254

Customers in the upper mid-sized premium EV crossover segment mostly expect a twin motor AWD powertrain, so that's what Audi is primarily concentrating on here. The core model is the Q6 e-tron quattro, which uses an electric motor on each axle, these energised by a big battery with 100kWh, 94.9kWh of it usable. Total output is 388PS, enough to take the car to 62mph 5.9s en route to 130mph. The range is 381 miles. Much the same powertrain also features in the top SQ6 e-tron, but here the motors are tuned to deliver 490PS (or as much as 517PS with launch control engaged). Which takes the car to 62mph in just 4.3s en route 142mph. Range from the same battery falls only slightly to 358 miles (due to wider tyres). If that's still not fast enough, talk to your dealer about the forthcoming RS Q6 e-tron model, expected to produce over 600PS. The dual motor powertrain in all these AWD variants features a rear-based torque distribution system; and different front and rear motor sizes mean that different amounts of power can be sent to each axle as required. For some Q6 e-tron customers though, efficiency will be of greater importance than grip or power. For them, Audi will offer two rear-driven models. One will be an entry-level Q6 e-tron Sport variant using a smaller 83kWh battery. The other, badged the Q6 e-tron performance Sport, will use the same 100kWh battery is the quattro variants and will offer the longest drive range in the line-up.

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