Audi A6 e-tron first drive: power, range, and luxury in a sleek design
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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Locals call him the “Bicycle hero,” but Texas man Evan Wayne says he’s just doing what he can to help his community after it was cut off due to the recent devastating and deadly flooding tragedy.
When the local Sandy Creek flooded following torrential rains in Texas, it destroyed the only bridge into one community. Residents were cut off from access to supplies, including everything from necessities like food, water, and medicine to basic comforts.
Although the bridge was impassable to cars, volunteers who quickly organized to help the stranded residents found that the damaged bridge could still be traversed on foot. Or in the case of Evan Wayne, it could be covered by an electric bike.
Evan joined hundreds of volunteers who answered the call of grassroots organizers by working together without any official capacity. While many started by hand-pulling garden carts of supplies uphill to reach the stricken community, Evan jury-rigged a trailer to an e-bike and took on as much of the load as he could, helping shuttle much-needed food and gear into the community over hundreds of round-trip journeys.
“This was a dog trailer 48 hours ago. I had a hacksaw, hacked the top off, grabbed some bungee cords, and here we are,” explained Evan in an interview with CBS Austin, while waiting for the next load of gear to be stacked on his trailer.
In the first two days of the operation, he made around 100 round trips each day, shuttling food and water as well as critical rescue supplies. “Right now, I’m waiting on a couple of chainsaws that I’ll bring in for a crew that’s been going at it with handsaws so far.”
In addition to delivering needed supplies, Evan has often found himself moving something even more important: information. “I’ve flagged down medics. I’ve been the guy that goes between Austin EMT and STAR Flight because I’m quicker than cell phones sometimes, people don’t have signal a lot of the time.”
Evan quickly points out that he isn’t the only one helping. “I’ve got an e-bike, but other people are pulling carts. People are walking, people are carrying things. Everyone is doing what they can.” But there’s no doubt that his ability to carry more gear at higher speeds and make hundreds of round-trip journeys so far in and out of the stricken neighborhood has helped impact countless lives.
“This is all volunteers here. They’re just taking it upon themselves to get people where they need to go. I think there’s an umbrella company coming in, taking over tomorrow, but until they get here, people are just taking care of people, which is what you’ve got to do.”
E-bikes proving their worth in emergencies
While many people consider electric bicycles just another form of recreation, they’ve proven to be potent transportation alternatives after natural disasters worldwide.
Not only do their small and efficient batteries make performing hundreds of rescue trips like Evans’ possible, but recharging can be done simply and easily with a solar panel when electricity is out after a disaster. And when gas stations are out of fuel (or simply can’t pump it with the power grid down), e-bikes can keep running while gasoline-powered motorcycles or ATVs run dry.
Electric bicycle batteries have also proven to be a handy source of emergency power after hurricanes and other disasters, often helping owners keep their phones charged up for days to remain in contact with family or rescue services.
While most hope to never need theirs for emergency purposes, electric bicycles have proven their worth in countless disaster scenarios, adding benefits far beyond just alternative transportation, recreation, or fitness riding.
Image credits: CBS Austin (screenshots), used under fair use
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Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey testifies during a remote video hearing held by subcommittees of the U.S. House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Committee on “Social Media’s Role in Promoting Extremism and Misinformation” in Washington, U.S., March 25, 2021.
Handout | Via Reuters
Block jumped more than 5% on Monday, leading a rally in shares of fintech companies as analysts downplayed the threat of JPMorgan Chase’s reported plan to charge data aggregators for access to customer financial information.
The recovery followed steep declines on Friday, after Bloomberg reported that JPMorgan had circulated pricing sheets outlining potential fees for aggregators like Plaid and Yodlee, which connect fintech platforms to users’ bank data.
In a note to clients on Monday, Evercore ISI analysts said the potential new expenses were “far from a ‘business model-breaking’ cost increase.”
In addition to Block’s rise, PayPal climbed 3.5% on Monday after sliding Friday. Robinhood and Shift4 recorded modest gains.
Broader market momentum helped fuel some of the rebound. The Nasdaq closed at a record, and crypto rallied, with bitcoin climbing past $123,000. Ether, solana, and other altcoins also gained.
Evercore ISI’s analysts said that even if JPMorgan’s changes were implemented, the most immediate effect would be a slight bump in the cost of one-time account setups — perhaps 50 to 60 cents.
Morgan Stanley echoed that view, writing that any impact would be “negligible,” especially for large fintechs that rely more on debit, credit, or stored balances than bank account pulls for transactions.
PayPal doesn’t anticipate much short-term impact, according to a person with knowledge of the issue. The person, who asked not to be named in order to speak about private financial matters, noted that PayPal relies on aggregators primarily for account verification and already has long-term pricing contracts in place.
While smaller fintechs that depend heavily on automated clearing house (ACH) rails or Open Banking frameworks for onboarding and compliance may face real pressure if the fees take effect, analysts said the larger platforms are largely insulated.
WATCH: Congress moves to redraw $3.7 trillion crypto market rules, opening door to Wall Street
The global EV market is still charging ahead. According to new numbers from global research firm Rho Motion, 9.1 million EVs were sold worldwide in the first half of 2025, up 28% compared to the same period last year. But not every region is accelerating at the same pace.
China and Europe are doing the heavy lifting
More than half of the world’s EVs this year have been bought in China. That market hit 5.5 million sales in the first six months of 2025 – a 32% jump year-over-year. Around half of new cars bought in China are now electric.
While some Chinese cities’ subsidies have dried up, Rho Motion expects momentum to pick back up later in the year as more funding is released.
In Europe, 2 million EVs were sold in the first half of the year, up 26%. Battery electric vehicle (BEV) sales also rose 26%, thanks in part to affordable models like the Renault 4 (pictured) and 5 entering the market. Plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) weren’t far behind, growing 27% year-to-date. Chinese automakers are leaning into PHEVs as a way to work around the EU’s new tariffs on BEVs.
Spain is leading the pack with EV sales soaring 85% so far this year. Its generous MOVES III incentive program was extended in April and has kept sales strong. The UK and Germany are also seeing solid growth – 32% and 40%, respectively. France, however, is slumping. With subsidies cut, EV sales there have dropped 13%.
North America is stuck in the slow lane
Things aren’t looking quite as bright in North America. EV sales in the US, Canada, and Mexico are up just 3% so far this year.
Mexico is the one bright spot, with a 20% boost. The US is up 6%. But Canada is down a whopping 23%.
And things could get bumpier. On July 4, Trump signed Congress’s big bill into law, which axes all the Inflation Reduction Act EV tax credits. Those consumer credits for EVs now officially end on September 30.
Just over half of the EVs sold in the US this year qualified for those credits. Rho Motion predicts a rush in Q3 before the subsidies disappear – and a decline in sales after that.
Rho Motion data manager Charles Lester said, “With Trump’s latest cuts in his ‘Big Beautiful Bill,’ the US could struggle to see any growth in the EV market overall in 2025.”
Global EV sales snapshot, H1 2025 vs H1 2024
- Global: 9.1 million (+28%)
- China: 5.5 million (+32%)
- Europe: 2.0 million (+26%)
- North America: 0.9 million (+3%)
- Rest of world: 0.7 million (+40%)
Read more: China breaks records as global EV sales hit 7.2 million in 2025
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