Audi has announced Irish pricing for the new A6 e-tron electric saloon and estate. In its most affordable form, the A6 e-tron will be priced at €74,500 - significantly more affordable than its two biggest rivals, the BMW i5 and the Mercedes-Benz EQE.
That’s a bit of a pricing coup
It is, and that’s in spite of the fact that the Audi has a claimed one-charge range much longer than either of those two cars - thanks to the 94kWh (net useable) battery, the A6 e-tron saloon has a claimed WLTP range of up to 750km, while the A6 e-tron Avant estate can manage 720km.
Other pricing includes €85,730 for the A6 e-tron performance, €87,550 for the A6 e-tron Avant performance estate, €109,925 for the S6 e-tron, and €111,745 for the S6 Avant e-tron estate.
And that’s not because the A6 e-tron is slow - the mid-sped 367hp rear-wheel drive performance model can accelerate from 0-100km/h in 5.4 seconds, while the sportier S6 Quattro, with up to 611hp in Launch Control mode, lowers that to 3.9 seconds. There is a range penalty for the S6, of course, but it can still put a claimed 670km between charges.
What about charging?
Because the A6 e-tron uses an 800-volt charging system, it can accept up to 270kW of charge from a high-speed DC charging point. This means you can add 310km of range in as little as ten minutes, and a 10-80 per cent charge takes just 21 minutes.
The A6 e-tron has been carefully shaped for maximum aerodynamic performance, so it’s a pretty striking-looking car, but you can upgrade those looks with a choice of standard 19-inch five-arm dynamic wheels, while the S-Line version gets 20-inch "five-spoke tripod" wheels in graphite grey. The S6 e-tron comes with 20-inch wheels as standard, but up to 21-inch rims are available as an option.
Any nice colour options?
The S and S-Line versions get sportier body kits, and eight exterior colour options are available at market launch. These include standard colours like Magnetic grey solid and metallic options like Glacier white and Mythos black. Exclusive colours for the S-Line and S models include Daytona grey pearl effect and Siam beige metallic.
As with other recent Audis, including the Q6 e-tron, which uses the same chassis and battery as the A6, the A5 e-tron’s lights are clever OLED units which have adaptive pixels, allowing you to choose from different lighting signatures for the front and rear lights. That tech has now been expanded to include ‘Communication Lights’, which can use specific patterns and projections to warn other traffic of any dangers on the road ahead.
Does the A6 have a high-tech cabin?
Inside, the cabin comes with up to three screens, including the 11.9-inch Audi virtual cockpit instrument panel and the 14.5-inch MMI touch display. There’s also the optional 10.9-inch MMI front passenger display, which uses privacy technology so that the passenger can watch a movie on the screen without the driver being able to see it. The A6 e-tron also comes with a big head-up display projected onto the windscreen.
The software on those screens uses Google Android Automotive as its basis, so the tech is very slick and includes Chat GPT AI integration, a specific route planner for the sat-nav that includes charging stops, and the Audi Application Store, which allows you to download built-in apps such as YouTube and Spotify. For Audi audiophiles, there’s an optional Bang & Olufsen Premium Sound System with headrest loudspeakers and 830 watts of power.
Commenting on the new Audi A6 e-tron model range, Audi Ireland Brand Director Damien O’Sullivan: “As the second model range to come off the PPE Platform we cannot wait to have the Audi A6 e-tron in Irish Audi dealerships and on Irish roads. Audi continues to push technology and design, the aerodynamics of this vehicle are incredible and the technology and power within is groundbreaking., With over 700 kms* of range and the outstanding charging times this model is another option for Irish consumers wanting to switch to electric driving or to upgrade and continue their electric experience.”
You can order your A6 e-tron now.