Audi Q6 E-Tron: E-SUV now also with rear-wheel drive

With its E-Tron series, Audi now offers a wide range of electric cars in the upper mid-range and luxury class. The Audi Q6 E-Tron will soon be part of this range. However, the electric SUV will also be available with rear-wheel drive for the first time.

First rear-wheel drive in Audi’s premium squad

Anyone looking for a suitable electric car could quickly be put off by the price from German manufacturers. After all, these are significantly higher than comparable models from China. Volkswagen wants to change this with its VW ID.1 announced this week. But Audi is apparently also trying to make its prices a little more attractive.

As the company has now announced, the upcoming Audi Q6 E-Tron will not only be available with all-wheel drive. Rear-wheel drive will also be available. The Ingolstadt-based company is thus introducing a new basic version, which should ensure a lower entry-level price. The changes compared to the Quattro model are only noticeable when looking at the technical data.

For example, the Audi Q6 E-Tron should be able to offer a maximum range of 641 km (WLTP), as Audi has officially announced. The other technical data also makes good reading. The electric car should be able to offer an output of up to 326 hp. This in turn ensures acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h in 6.6 seconds, but then stops at a speed of 210 km/h.

Weight loss thanks to rear-wheel drive

This makes the new available version of the Audi Q6 E-Tron a real newcomer to the ranks of the Ingolstadt-based car manufacturer. After all, Audi has not yet built a single rear-wheel drive vehicle based on its own PPE platform. However, the new drive has no effect on charging performance.

You can charge the Q6 E-Tron from 10 to 80 percent within 21 minutes at the fast charger. This is thanks to a maximum input power of up to 260 kW. On the other hand, there is positive news about the weight. Of course, the switch to rear-wheel drive is also associated with a weight loss. According to Audi, the Q6 E-Tron is 125 kg lighter than its all-wheel drive counterpart.

Price and availability

You can configure and order the new Audi Q6 E-Tron with rear-wheel drive from Audi now. However, you will have to wait a little while before you can take a seat in the E-SUV. After all, the Ingolstadt-based company doesn’t want to deliver the model until the third quarter of 2024. If you don’t want to wait that long, you will probably have to opt for the more expensive all-wheel drive model. This is already scheduled for delivery in August 2024. According to the configurator, the car manufacturer wants to charge a price starting at 68,800 euros for its base model of the Audi Q6 E-Tron.