If you were thinking that the new all-electric Audi Q6 e-tron really needed massive, chunky wheels and tyres and enough ground clearance that a medium-sized dog could walk underneath it without crouching, well, good news! That’s exactly what Audi has built.
Revealed at the ice racing event in Austria
This is the Audi Q6 e-tron offroad concept (lack of capitalisation manufacturer’s own), and while it’s a one-off for the moment, it could be a preview of more rugged, more off-road capable models to come.
Taller, wider, brighter
Unveiled at the F.A.T. ice racing event in Kitzbühel, Austria, the Q6 e-tron offload gets an extra 166mm of ride height, and its suspension track is 250mm wider than the standard model. There’s also a chunky roof rack with built-in LED light bars and massive extra-bright LED units built into the body beside the grille, so you can pick your way between the trees at night.
Power comes from the 516hp (380kW) twin electric motors, which draw energy from a 94.9kWh battery.
Insane torque figure
That extra ride height is thanks to portal axles, which allow the driveshafts to stay in their standard position and transmit power to the wheels through a complex set of gears. This also allows 50 per cent more torque to be transmitted to the tyres. In fact, Audi claims that an astonishing 13,400Nm of torque can be sent to all four wheels for a ten-second burst.
These portal axles aren’t mere off-the-shelf items, either — they had to be specially developed for the Q6 e-tron offroad. They allow the Q6 to tackle a 45-degree slope, although they also reduce the car’s top speed to 175km/h.
Highly emotive
Audi CEO Gernot Döllner said: “The Q6 e-tron offroad concept is a reinterpretation of quattro. The model shows the potential that our platform for all electric vehicles already has today. This vehicle can claim new ground. We look forward to seeing our customers’ reactions to this highly emotive car.”