Audi A6 Avant E-Tron Concept: Sharp electric sport wagon packs speedy-charging 800v tech

Audi on Wednesday unveiled the A6 Avant E-Tron electric wagon concept. It previews a production model that's unlikely to reach North America, but its platform will underpin upcoming Audi EVs for global markets.

That platform is the Premium Platform Electric (PPE), which also underpinned the A6 E-Tron concept unveiled at the 2021 Shanghai Motor Show. Future PPE models previewed by the pair of concepts will form a fourth front of EVs for Audi, after the E-Tron family and its MLB-based platform, the E-Tron GT and its J1 platform (shared with the Porsche Taycan), and then the Q4 E-Tron and its MEB platform.

In this case, the platform is wrapped in wagon bodywork with dimensions similar to the current Audi A6 sedan and A7 fastback. But Audi claims a fairly low drag coefficient of 0.24 for the A6 Avant E-Tron concept (the A6 E-Tron sedan had a claimed 0.22 coefficient of drag).

One electric motor powers each axle, maintaining Audi's signature Quattro all-wheel drive while producing a combined 476 horsepower and 590 pound-feet of torque. Audi also mentioned a single-motor rear-wheel drive version.