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We had a chance to test drive the Audi A6 e-tron, the German automaker’s second next-gen electric vehicle based on its new PPE platform, in Tenerife, Spain, a few weeks ago.

It delivers power, luxury, and an impressive range in a sleek design.

Disclaimer: Audi paid for my flights and lodging to go test out the A6 in Spain.

Outside of the e-tron GT, Audi has focused on SUVs when it comes to releasing new electric cars: the original e-tron, Q4, and Q8.

However, the German automaker has ambitions to electrify its entire lineup, and things are now moving faster with the introduction of the PPE platform, a new and long-awaited all-electric performance platform co-developed with Porsche.

Earlier this year, the automaker introduced the Q6 e-tron, its first vehicle based on the PPE, and we were quite impressed. The vehicle is much more efficient than Audi’s previous EVs, and it feels like the automaker is starting to settle into the role of producing electric vehicles.

The Q6 is an Audi, with all its performance and luxury, and a solid electric vehicle with a more than decent range and impressive charging capacity.

Audi A6 e-tron

Unsurprisingly, since it is based on the same platform, the Audi A6 has impressed me as much as the Q6 for the same reasons, but the form factor is more efficient. And you know I love my vehicles efficient.

The A6 is the most aerodynamic Audi ever, with a 0.21 drag coefficient in its most aerodynamic configuration. Unfortunately, we will not get it in North America because it involves replacing the side mirrors with cameras.

The North American version still gets an impressive 0.23 drag coefficient. The wheels can also make a big difference, and Audi offers many options.

Audi has already confirmed an EPA range of 370 miles (595 km) on the NA version of the A6 with 20″ wheels, but the automaker told us at the drive event that the upcoming 19″ wheels should enable 390 miles (628 km) of range.

That’s achieved on the same 100 kWh (94.4 kWh usable) battery pack.

Another reason the A6, like the Q6, achieves impressive range and efficiency is its strong regenerative braking.

Audi is taking the approach of offering a wide range of different regen braking strengths and modes, including applying the regen when using the brake pedal, but I personally exclusively use it in one-pedal driving mode (B). Once you get used to it, it’s hard to go back.

It makes the car more efficient and fun to drive.

At one point, we drove up to Mt. Teide, a dormant volcano on the island, at about 2 km of altitude. We were at about 250 km of range when I started driving back down to the hotel, which was on the coast about 68 km away.

We arrived at the hotel with about 300 km of range. That’s just awesome, and it’s not like I was trying to hypermile the A6. I was actually driving relatively aggressively, passing people, and we did about a dozen kilometers on the highway.

In terms of the actual driving experience, it was extremely reminiscent of the Q6 with a lower driving position. The cabin is dead quiet, which is the main feature of a luxury vehicle in my book. In dynamic mode, the steering is really responsive and you can always for more relaxed comfort modes.

The heads-up display clear and useful without being obnoxious.

The seats are incredibly comfortable, especially in the S6, the performance version of the A6, but you also have great options in the regular A6 or the S line A6, which adds S6 features without the performance.

I didn’t get to try these, but I thought they looked stunning:

Speaking of the performance, the basic rear-wheel drive with an output of 270 kW (280 kW with Launch Control) is plenty powerful. It gives you the peppiness that is so fun about EVs without being some crazy power.

If you want crazy power, the S6 can give you that. Even though we are more talking about a luxury family sedan, the dual motor all-wheel-drive powertrain can deliver 370 kW (405 kW with Launch Control) for a 0 to 60 mph in just 3.7 seconds.

It’s important to note that the higher performance level also comes with lower efficiency with the S6 getting 324 miles (521 km) of range.

That’s still more than a decent range, especially when combined with Audi’s impressive charging capability.

The A6 has a peak charge rate of 270 kW, but the charging curve is more impressive than the peak charge rate:

It makes the Audi A6 a great road trip car with the main downside being that it doesn’t have NACS in North America. Audi has locked the design a little too early for NACS integration.

This means that A6 owners must use an adapter to use the Supercharger network in North America.

Speaking of road trips, I was impressed by both the trunk opening and the overall space in the back without even having to lay down the back seat:

Audi had the Avant (wagon) version of the A6 at the drive event, but unfortunately, it was off-limits for us North American reporters since the automaker doesn’t plan to launch it in the US or Canada.

I think wagons look cool; it’s a bummer that they don’t sell well in North America. However, I have to say that I checked the Avant’s trunk compared to the sedan Sportback version and there wasn’t a big difference.

Audi A6 Pricing and Availability

We don’t have US pricing yet. That’s expected to arrive early next year before the A6 hits US dealerships a few months later.

Audi has released EU pricing for the “upper mid-range models”, which start at at 75,600 euros for the A6 Sportback e-tron performance and 77,250 euros for the A6 Avant e-tron performance. The S6 Sportback e-tron costs 99,500 euros and the price for the S6 Avant e-tron is 101,150 euros.

Electrek’s Take

Much like the Q6, I feel the A6’s main downside in North America is that it doesn’t come standard with a NACS connector.

If that’s your main downside, you are doing well since it just means that the few times a month you want/need to use a Supercharger station, you have to use an adapter. No big deal.

Speaking of charging, the A6 also has an interesting advantage on that front: an optional dual charger port.

You can have a CCS DC fast-charging capable port on the driver’s side and a level 2 J1772 on the other side. This can be super practical for people who often have the charge on city streets.

We still need to see the official pricing in the US on this, but I think with the range, efficiency, quiet cabin, and overall luxury, the 390-mile RWD A6 could prove to be a very interesting new entry in the EV market.

What do you think? Let us know in the comment section below.

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ABB is bringing its new, 1.2 MW modular truck chargers to ACT Expo

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ABB is bringing its new, 1.2 MW modular truck chargers to ACT Expo

Capable of delivering up to 1,200 kW of power to get electric commercial trucks back on the road in minutes, the new ABB MCS1200 Megawatt Charging System is part of an ecosystem of electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) that ABB’s bringing to this year’s ACT Expo.

ABB E-mobility is using the annual clean trucking conference to showcase the expansion of its EVSE portfolio with three all-new charger families: the field-upgradable A200/300 All-in-One chargers, the MCS1200 Megawatt Charging System for heavy-duty vehicles shown (above), and the ChargeDock Dispenser for flexible depot charging.

The company said its new product platform was built by applying a computer system-style domain separation to charger design, fundamentally improving subsystem development and creating a clear path forward for site and system expansion. In other words, ABB is selling a system with both future-proofing and enhanced dependability baked in.

“We have built a system by logically separating a charger into four distinct subsystems … each functioning as an independent subsystem,” explains Michael Halbherr, CEO of ABB E-mobility. “Unlike conventional chargers, where a user interface failure can disable the entire system, our architecture ensures charging continues even if the screen or payment system encounters issues. Moreover, we can improve each subsystem at its own pace without having to change the entire system.”

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The parts of ABB’s new EVSE portfolio that have been made public so far have already been recognized for design excellence, with the A400 winning the iF Gold Award and both the A400 and C50 receiving Red Dot Design Awards.

New ABB chargers seem pretty, good

ABB’s good-looking family; via ABB.

ABB says the systemic separation of its EVSE enhances both reliability and quality, while making deployed chargers easier to diagnose and repair, in less time. Each of the chargers’ subsystems can be tested, diagnosed, and replaced independently, allowing for quick on-site repairs and update cycles tailored to the speed of each systems’ innovation. The result is 99% uptime and a more future-proof product.

“The EV charging landscape is evolving beyond point products for specific use cases,” continued Halbherr. “By implementing this modular approach with the majority of our R&D focused on modular platforms rather than one-off products … it reduces supply chain risks, while accelerating development cycles and enabling deeper collaboration with critical suppliers.”

Key markets ABB is chasing

HVC 360 Charge Dock Dispenser depot deployment; via ABB.
  • PUBLIC CHARGING – with the award winning A400 being the optimal fit for high power charging from highway corridors to urban locations, the latest additions to the A-Series All-in-One chargers offer a field-upgradable architecture allowing operators to start with the A200 (200kW) with the option to upgrade to 300kW or 400kW as demand grows. This approach offers scalability and protects customer investment, leading to Total Cost of Ownership (TCO) savings over 10 years.
  • PUBLIC TRANSIT AND FLEET – the new Charge Dock Dispenser – in combination with the already in market available HVC 360 – simplifies depot charging with a versatile solution that supports pantograph-, roof-, and pedestal charging options with up to 360kW of shared power and 150m/490 ft installation flexibility between cabinet and dispensers. The dispenser maintains up to 500A output.
  • HEAVY TRUCKS – building the matching charging infrastructure for commercial vehicles and fleets represents a critical innovation frontier on our journey to electrify transportation. Following extensive collaboration with industry-leading truck OEMs, the MCS1200 Megawatt Charging System delivers up to 1,200kW of continuous power — 20% more energy transfer than 1MW systems — providing heavy-duty vehicles with purpose-built single-outlet design for the energy they need during mandatory driver breaks. To support other use cases, such as CCS truck charging, a dual CCS and MCS option will also be available.
  • RETAIL – the award winning C50 Compact Charger complements the family as the slimmest charger in its category at just 9.3 inches depth, optimized for convenient charging during typical one-hour retail experiences. With its large touch display, the C50 takes the award-winning A400 experience even further — setting a new standard for consumer experience and very neatly echoing our own take on that “Goldilocks” timing zone for commercial charging.

ABB says that the result of its new approach are chargers that offer 99% plus uptime — a crucial statistic for commercial charging operations and a key factor to ensuring customer satisfaction. The new ABB E-mobility EVSE product family will be on display for the first time at the Advanced Clean Transportation Expo (ACT Expo) in Anaheim, California next week, then again at Power2Drive in Munich, Germany, from May 7-9.

Electrek’s Take

BEV trucks and buses at ACT Expo in Long Beach; image by the author.
ACT Expo test drives; by the author.

The ACT Expo is one of – if not the most important sustainable trucking event in North America, featuring all the big names in heavy trucks, construction equipment, material handling, infrastructure – even Tier 1 suppliers. Mostly, though, it’s many fleet buyers’ only chance to test drive these zero emission trucks before writing a big PO (which just makes it even more important).

Electrek will be there again this year, and we’ll be bringing you all the latest news from press events and product reveals as it happens.

SOURCE | IMAGES: ABB E-mobility.


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Whisper Aero ultralight aircraft scores $500K for “UltraQuiet” electric jet motor tests

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Whisper Aero ultralight aircraft scores 0K for

Along with Tennessee Tech, Tennessee-based ultralight aircraft company Whisper Aero has secured a $500,000 grant to help advance the company’s innovative electric jet motor concept off the drawing board and onto the testing phase.

Earlier this month, the Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development (TNECD) announced plans to award $500,000 to Tennessee Tech and Whisper Aero through the Transportation Network Growth Opportunity (TNGO) initiative.

“We look forward to using these award dollars to place students in internships working directly with Whisper Aero leaders,” said Tennessee Tech President Phil Oldham. “By learning from an electric propulsion innovator like Whisper Aero, our students will gain invaluable perspective and can take what they have learned in the classroom and apply it right here in Tennessee.”

The grant will see a Whisper Aero glider fitted with a pair of the company’s eQ250 electric-powered jet “propulsors” for UltraQuiet flight. Tennessee Tech faculty and students will carry out copper-bird ground testing to ensure the safe integration of engines, batteries, and controllers, and kickstart Tennessee Tech’s new Crossville Mobility Incubator.

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Those propulsors, by the way, are super cool.

UnltraQuiet WhisperDrive; via Whisper Aero.

Whisper Aero’s main claim to fame is its innovative UltraQuiet WhisperDrive (above). It’s effectively an electrically spun ducted fan jet engine that uses a large number of stiff composite fan blades inside a lightweight, acoustically treated duct. With so many blades, the Whisper Aero propulsor can push more air than a conventional prop while spinning much more slowly. As such, the “blade passage frequency” moves up to more than 16,000 Hz – outside the range of most human hearing but not, supposedly, high enough to freak out the beagles.

The Whisper Aero ultralight is effectively an Aériane Swift3 glider fitted with a pair of Whisper’s eQ250 propulsors, each capable of up to 80 lbs. of thrust. The Ultralight has a wingspan of over 40 ft with a maximum L/D of 35:1 and can be stressed to a design loading of +6/-4g, making it capable of some pretty impressive acrobatic feats.

The Swift3 glider is designed for a low speed, low power cruising speed of 45–55 knots with “just” 6.5 hp. Power-off glides from a few hundred feet showed a low sink rate, and a climb rate of 1,250 ft/min with full self-launching power (in other words: the Whisper glider doesn’t have to be towed by a launch vehicle, like a conventional ultralight glider).

Quiet cool

Dual WhisperDrive fans deliver ~160 lbf of thrust; via Whisper Aero.

Range under full power is about 109 miles with current battery tech, but it’s expected that range under the latest EPiC 2.0 energy batteries would rise to nearly 170 miles.

Nathan Millecam, CEO of Electric Power System, said, “EPiC 2.0’s leap in energy density and thermal performance has enabled a significant increase in range, a clear validation of our next-gen cell technology. We are impressed by what the Whisper team continues to achieve in advancing electric aviation.”

The press release concludes explaining that flight tests are expected to show that the Whisper Aero glider can be flown, “a few hundred feet away from neighborhoods without any disturbances, while carrying a 220 lbs. payload with full range,” which is all kind of ominous in today’s political climate, but still pretty neat from a purely tech perspective.

The TNGO grant follows a separate grant from NASA awarded last year, though that grant aims to develop the eQ250s – not as a propulsion system, but as a key component in future spacecraft ventilation systems.

Tennessee Tech announces TNGO grant

With support from TNECD’s Transportation Network Growth Opportunity (TNGO) initiative, Tennessee Tech University and Whisper Aero are partnering to advance next-generation propulsion technology in the aerospace industry. This collaboration will enhance aerospace research and workforce development, ensuring Tennessee remains a leader in cutting-edge mobility solutions.

TNECD

SOURCE | IMAGES: TNECD; via eVTOL Insights, New Atlas.


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Tesla Cybertruck owner gets stuck after beliving Elon Musk’s ‘river crossing’ claim

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Tesla Cybertruck owner gets stuck after beliving Elon Musk's 'river crossing' claim

A Tesla Cybertruck owner believed Elon Musk’s claims that the Cybertruck would be able to “act as a boat” and “cross rivers”, and he got his $100,000 stuck because of it.

Elon Musk has often made claims about how Tesla vehicles could float and briefly serve as a boat in the past.

We have never been taken too seriously because Tesla’s warranty states something different about taking the vehicle into water.

However, the CEO doubled down on the claim specifically for the Cybertruck.

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Ahead of launching the production version of the Cybertruck, Musk claimed the vehicle would be “waterproof enough” to serve as a boat and cross rivers:

Cybertruck will be waterproof enough to serve briefly as a boat, so it can cross rivers, lakes and even seas that aren’t too choppy.

The CEO added that the goal is for a Cybertruck to be able to cross the water between SpaceX’s Starbase and South Padre Island in Texas, which is about 360 meters (1,100 feet).

We have been taking the Cybertruck more seriously with water because we learned that Tesla built a ‘wade mode’ for the truck to be able to go into the water. Tesla says the mode increases the ride height to the max and temporarily “pressurizes the battery pack.”

The problem is that it is activated through the off-roading mode, which is not covered under Tesla’s warranty – so we are taking everything with a grain of salt.

Whenever Tesla’s warranty contradicts what Musk says, it is better to follow to the warranty.

A Tesla Cybertruck owner in Truckee, California, appears not to have received this sage advice since they activated the wade mode and attempted to get into the water.

The Cybertruck owner quickly got stuck. The local California Highway Patrol (CHP) shared some pictures of the aftermath (via Facebook):

CHP Truckee helped with the recovery and commented on the incident:

Cybertruck activated “Wade Mode”… and waded a bit too far… We’re all for testing boundaries… but maybe not the waterline. Remember folks, “Wade Mode” isn’t “Submarine Mode.” If your plans include exploring the great outdoors, make sure to know your limits and the terrain.

There’s no detail on the damage to the Cybertruck, if any.

As we recently reported, repair costs for the stainless steel electric pickup truck can increase rapidly.

This Cybertruck owner is also not the first one to get stuck in water. We previously reported on a Tesla Cybertruck sinking into the water when launching a jet ski.

Electrek’s Take

At the risk of stating the obvious, this is clearly more of a user error than a Cybertruck problem.

I think the verdict is clear: Cybertruck is far from the best electric pickup truck for off-roading.

However, in general, you shouldn’t expect a truck to get out of water on a muddy bank.

I think a lot of Cybertruck owners are new to trucking and off-roading, and they are making the truck look worse than it is at off-roading.

If you want to take your Cybertruck off-road, I recommend to first go with an off-roading guide that can help avoid some simple mistakes like this.

Also, in general, don’t take Elon Musk’s claims at face value when he says that Tesla vehicles can do something that sounds like an exaggeration. It probably is an exaggeration.

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