Audi revealed the four-door Audi A6 e-tron concept with a completely new technology architecture, the “Premium Platform Electric.” The key element of the future PPE fleet is a battery module between the axles that holds around 100 kWh of energy in the A6 e-tron concept. This means that for the first time, it will be possible to use this single platform for both vehicles with a high ground clearance and vehicles with a decidedly dynamic, flat architecture – such as the Audi A6 e-tron concept – without any changes to the basic architecture.
The future range of PPE models will include versions with one electric motor each mounted to the front and rear axles that use electronic coordination to deliver all-wheel drive on demand and achieve a perfect balance between driving dynamics and energy efficiency. In addition, the e-tron family will also include basic versions optimized for minimum consumption and maximum range – in this case, propulsion will come from a single electric motor mounted to the rear axle.
Audi A6 e-tron represents an entirely new design concept – the only thing it has in common with the current A6 are its dimensions. The 4.96-meter-long, 1.96-meter-wide, and 1.44-meter-high body is designed as a Sportback.
Large 22-inch wheels and short overhangs, the flat cabin, and the wide coupe roof arch give the vehicle proportions distinctly reminiscent of a sports car. The absence of hard edges results in smooth transitions between convex and concave surfaces throughout the body, as well as in soft shadows. The Audi A6 e-tron concept appears monolithic, as if from a single mold – particularly when viewed from the side. The slope of the rear side window is a typical feature of Audi Sportback window design; as a result, the D-pillar rises up from the stable base of the vehicle’s rear end in an especially streamlined manner.
The wheel arches are connected by the specially sculpted battery area above the rocker panel, which is highlighted with a black inlay – a design element that is now a hallmark of the Audi brand’s fleet of electric vehicles. Also typical of Audi e-tron models are the sleek, camera-based virtual exterior mirrors at the base of the A-pillar.
At the front of the Audi A6 there four electric-powered rings represented the brand. A characteristic feature is the large enclosed Singleframe grille, which is bordered at the bottom by deep air intakes for cooling the drivetrain, battery, and brakes. The flat headlight bezels extend far into the sides of the laterally sweeping front end, underscoring the horizontally aligned architecture of the vehicle body. The influence of the wind tunnel can be seen on the rear end. The upper rear end is shaped to create an aerodynamically functional breakaway e dge. And in the lower section, the rear diffuser’s generously sized air outlet is integrated into the spoiler area.
Heliosilver is the name of the technoid-looking color of the paint. The paint accentuates the shapes of the body with a three-dimensional depth effect, which is particularly visible in the area around the quattro wheel arches. In the front end, the Singleframe grille, also in Heliosilver, forms a striking contrast to the deep matte black color of the frame. This stark contrast also accentuates the horizontally oriented proportions in the rocker panel sections on the sides of the vehicle.
The flat headlights and taillights are slim and flush with the overall composition of the lines. The concept car host new features and personalization options with digital Matrix LED and digital OLED technology. Three small, high-resolution LED projectors are built in into each side of the body, transforming the ground beneath them into a stage when the doors are opened – small extended dynamic lighting effects greet the occupants with messages in their own language. Another four high-resolution LED projectors – inconspicuously integrated into the corners of the vehicle – generate turn signal projections. Per Audi, the design of these projections can be modified to address different markets.
If, for example, the Audi A6 e-tron concept is parked in front of a wall during a break to recharge the battery, the driver and passengers can pass the time playing a video game projected onto it. Instead of on a small screen in the cockpit, they’ll see their respective game’s virtual landscapes projected onto the wall in XXL format – and all this via the Digital Matrix LED headlights. Players can stand next to or directly in front of the vehicle for a particularly good view of the game, which is several meters wide. Players control the game via smartphone.
The rear end of the concept car features a new generation of digital OLED elements that, as a continuous strip of lights, act like a display. They can also be used to create customizable variations of digital light signatures and dynamic lighting displays. One new feature in the taillights is the three-dimensional architecture of the digital OLED elements, that – adapted to the shape of the body.
Beginning in late 2022, the first production cars in the C- and later also B-segment will be relaunched with PPE technology, including – a first in the market for electric vehicles – both SUVs with a high ground clearance and dynamically styled models with a lower ride height, such as the upcoming Audi A6 e-tron.