A glimpse of the future > Stories of Progress > Audi | Luxury sedans, SUVs, convertibles, electric vehicles & more

A glimpse of the future

With its futuristic technology, elegant design and the practicality of a runabout, the Audi A6 e-tron concept is a study representing the executive class. The all-electric, four-door premium Sportback offers a sneak preview of tomorrow’s mid-range and executive-class Audi electric production models.

Copy: AUDI AG Photo: AUDI AG Reading Time: 5 min

A side view of the Audi A6 e-tron concept.A side view of the Audi A6 e-tron concept.

Breathtaking design

The Audi A6 e-tron concept* uses the same fresh design language and perfect proportions first seen in the Audi RS e-tron GT. Its long wheelbase, short overhangs, flattened cabin resting on large wheels, dynamic coupe roofline, and soft, evocative contours accentuating the quattro muscles make for a powerful package. Highlighted in color as the heart of the car, the battery keeps the vehicle looking slim and agile when viewed from the side.

As the body’s contours lack hard edges, the shadows cast by convex and concave surfaces fade out softly. Viewed head-on, the Audi A6 e-tron concept presents a striking face in the shape of the streamlined, enclosed, and optically inverted Singleframe grille. An aerodynamic spoiler lip wraps around the tail, which also features a high-tech rear diffuser below.

The Audi A6 e-tron concept* offers living proof that aerodynamics is not just a time-honored area of expertise at Audi, but also a core design characteristic. This is a highly attractive electric vehicle that skillfully fuses form and function. After all, the fact that the Audi A6 e-tron concept* boasts a drag coefficient of 0.22 is instrumental to its electric range.

A detail shot of the concept car’s Singleframe.A detail shot of the concept car’s Singleframe.
Close-up of a camera-based exterior mirror. Close-up of a camera-based exterior mirror.

Progressive lighting technology

Progressive styling is a thread that runs throughout the car—from the exceptionally slim front headlamp design to the rear end’s clean cut, shaped by a light strip integrated into the rear window. Thanks to a new generation of digital OLED elements that serve as a display, drivers can choose from a wide range of customizable digital light signatures and dynamic light animations.

Digitalization and progressive lighting technology are also prominent at the front of the Audi A6 e-tron concept*. Audi designers have developed a video game that the digital Matrix LED headlights can project onto an area of wall in front of the vehicle, spanning several meters—so when the car is charging, occupants can stand directly next to or in front of it and play on a larger scale, rather than using the virtual cockpit screen.


LED projectors on the vehicle create glowing triangles on the ground. LED projectors on the vehicle create glowing triangles on the ground.

The special touches in the Audi A6 e-tron concept* don’t end there: Three small, high-resolution LED projectors are integrated into each side of the body. When occupants open the doors, dynamic light animations greet them with words in their home language. More importantly, the projectors also create hazard signs on the ground to warn approaching cyclists that the door is opening. Additional LED projectors located at the vehicle’s four corners can also produce modifiable indicator projections and warnings.

These LED projectors expand the scope of the car’s communicative capabilities beyond the vehicle itself. Thanks to intelligent networking in the vehicle, the Audi A6 e-tron concept* uses visual signals to share information with other road users.

Close-up of the concept car’s air curtain intakes. Close-up of the concept car’s air curtain intakes.
A detail shot of the rear spoiler. A detail shot of the rear spoiler.

Forward-looking electric platform

The Audi A6 e-tron concept* is built on a completely new technology architecture—the Premium Platform Electric (PPE). As a dedicated battery-electric propulsion platform, the PPE is engineered specifically to fully leverage all of the drive system’s advantages. Positioned between the axles, the battery module—which in the Audi A6 e-tron concept* produces 100 kilowatts of power—is its nerve center. Making use of the entire vehicle base provides a relatively flat layout for the battery.

The PPE bears the Audi signature in the form of the premium powertrain, chassis, electronic technology, and premium quality standards. It comes as no surprise that the Audi A6 e-tron concept* also has quattro drive. Electric motors on both the front and rear axles generate a total output of 350 kilowatts and torque of 590 lb-ft.

Compelling everyday practicality

Standing 4.72 feet tall, the Audi A6 e-tron concept* is 16.27 feet long and 6.43 feet wide. In other words, its proportions are very similar to those of the current Audi A6 or A7. The interior of the Audi A6 e-tron concept* feels very spacious. Eliminating the transmission tunnel and extending the wheelbase makes for lots of room in the interior.

A side view of the vehicle’s tail, highlighting the quattro muscle on the wheel arches, which segues into a digital OLED light display. A side view of the vehicle’s tail, highlighting the quattro muscle on the wheel arches, which segues into a digital OLED light display.