Written by Ted Welford Published: 2 May 2024 Updated: 2 May 2024

Overview

Audi’s electric car offensive is in full swing with the German manufacturer now offering a range of models from family SUVs to sporty saloons. 

Next to arrive in its EV line-up is the Q6 E-Tron – a mid-size electric SUV positioned between the Q4 and Q8 E-Tron, though it’s far closer in size to the latter vehicle. It’s a hugely important car for Audi, and has been a long time coming – Audi has delayed it several times, along with the Porsche Macan EV it shares plenty in common with. 

Built around a new platform shared between Audi and Porsche, the Q6 E-Tron promises some big improvements in terms of range, charging and technology. Rivalling the BMW iX3 and Jaguar I-Pace, the Q6 E-Tron arrives on UK roads later in 2024 and could make quite an impact. 

What does it look like?

While the Q6 E-Tron’s technology might make it quite radical, its design is less so. It’s not dramatically different from Audi’s cheaper Q4 E-Tron, meaning there’s plenty of familiarity to the way this new SUV looks. That’s not necessarily a bad thing. 

The Q6 E-Tron has a particularly sculpted shape and stands out with its use of fancy LED lighting – something Audis are renowned for. The firm claims its new SUV boasts the ‘world’s first active digital light signature’.

There are 360 segments in the car’s LED lights, which can generate a new image every 10 milliseconds. The rear lights also have a new integrated warning symbol which can help alert other road users of accidents and breakdowns. It’s pretty clever stuff, though we’re not sure of the real-world advantages given that’s what hazard warning lights are designed to do. 

What’s it like inside?

The inside of the Q6 E-Tron is quite different to the rest of the Audi line-up, however, and ushers in a new design that will be rolled out across future models from the firm. We’ve seen the square-like steering wheel before on the Q4, but the wraparound digital dashboard is a new feature, with the infotainment being developed with Android technology for the first time on an Audi. 

It includes a main 14.5-inch touchscreen along with a 11.9-inch digital cockpit, while other features include an augmented reality head-up display that can help point towards which turn-off you need to take or the right lane you need to be in on a roundabout or motorway. 

In terms of spaciousness, the boot space of the Q6 E-Tron doesn’t seem to be massively more than the Q4, with Audi claiming 526 litres of room, or 1,529 litres once the rear seats are folded. The rear seats each fold separately, though, and there’s a small front boot, sometimes known as a frunk, that can be used to store small bags and charging bags, for example. 

Electric motors 

There are two versions of the Q6 E-Tron available at launch, with each using a 100kWh battery. Smaller and less powerful versions are in the pipeline for later in 2024, which will help to reduce the Q6’s price. 

The current standard version available is the regular E-Tron quattro model, which features twin electric motors producing 388hp. That allows for a 0-60mph time of 5.9 seconds, when launch control is activated, and a 130mph top speed where permitted. 

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From launch, Audi is also offering a sportier SQ6 E-Tron, which gets more powerful motors developing 517hp and reducing the 0-60mph time to 4.3 seconds. It is considerably more expensive, however. 

Audi has confirmed that a rear-wheel-drive model will arrive later in 2024, and which will be available with a cheaper 83kWh battery and less power as a result of its single rear motor, though there will be an option to upgrade to the 100kWh battery for optimal range. 

Range and charging

The Q6 E-Tron uses an 800-volt electrical architecture, which brings some big advantages for range and charging. 

Thanks to the large 100kWh battery, Audi claims a range of up to 381 miles for the standard model and 358 miles for the sportier SQ8. The Q6 even has the potential to crack 400 miles from a charge by the time the rear-driven models are introduced, giving it a range above all of its rivals. 

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The Q6 E-Tron has a maximum DC rapid charging speed of 270kW, allowing for potentially super-speedy charges. Audi claims just 21 minutes can top up the battery from 10 to 80% with a fast enough charger, and that 158 miles can be added in just 10 minutes. 

What models and trims are available?

Audi offers three trim levels on the regular Q6 – Sport, S line and Edition 1 – and then the SQ6 as a standalone product. 

Standard equipment is very generous and includes heated front and rear seats, a heated steering, a heat pump, leather upholstery and the curved digital displays we’ve already mentioned. A 360-degree parking camera and adaptive cruise control are also provided. 

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The S line model boasts larger 20-inch alloy wheels, sportier S line bodykit and sports seats, while the Edition 1 brings 21-inch rims, sports suspension, Matrix LED headlights and a touchscreen for the front-seat passenger. 

At the top of the range, the SQ6 features adaptive air suspension, a panoramic sunroof, electric steering wheel adjustment and the fancy digital OLED rear lights we mentioned earlier. 

When is it on sale?

The regular Q6 E-Tron and SQ6 E-Tron are available to order now, with prices starting from £68,975 for the Sport trim and rising to £76,975 for the Edition 1. The SQ6 model brings a big price premium at £92,950. 

The Q6 will get cheaper, however, with the rear-wheel-drive model priced from £59,975 when it goes on sale later in 2024.