Audi A6 e-tron concept shines in Shanghai showcasing what's coming in 2023

Concept cars are a dime a dozen, and most times when manufacturers promise the eventual production models will closely resemble the concepts they're based on, they don't exactly deliver. Hopefully things will be different for Audi. The German maker has just presented the stunning A6 e-tron at the Auto Shanghai 2021 exhibition, and the company promises it's about 95% identical to the eventual production car which will be based on it.

That A6 will arrive in 2023, and will be part of "an innovative family of fully electric production cars", using a completely new technology architecture, called PPE - short for "Premium Platform Electric". PPE is able to accommodate both SUVs with high ground clearance as well as "dynamically styled models with a lower ride height", such as the Audi A6 e-tron. The first cars based on the PPE platform will be on the streets in late 2022.

Unlike the A6 TFSIe plug-in hybrid that made its debut in 2019, the A6 e-tron is fully electric. Not just that, but it comes with a completely new design. In fact, the only thing it has in common with the older model is what it measures. The 4.96m long, 1.96m wide, 1.44m high body is designed as a "Sportback", and its lines are a reflection of Audi's constantly evolving design language.

The production version of the A6 e-tron is expected to boast a range of more than 700km (434 miles) in the WLTP cycle, and the most powerful member of the family will go from 0 to 100 km/h (0 to 62 mph) in less than four seconds. The entry-level model will achieve the same in under seven seconds. The battery capacity is "around 100 kWh" in the concept, and its two electric motors (one driving the front axle, one driving the rear) together churn out 350 kW (469 hp) of power and a torque of 800 Nm.

The A6 e-tron, like all models that will be using the PPE platform, has 800V charging technology. This means the battery can be charged from 270 kW DC chargers, should you ever see one of those in the wild. If you are lucky enough to use one, then in just 10 minutes the car will charge enough to drive you more than 300 km, and the concept's battery would go from 5% to 80% in 25 minutes.

Aerodynamics are very important for electric cars given their weight, and Audi has achieved a cW value of just 0.22 for the A6 e-tron, an unprecedented number in the electrified C-segment. The car has 22" wheels, and virtual exterior mirrors at the base of the A pillar.

At the front, the Singleframe grille comes with deep air intakes at the bottom for cooling the drivetrain, battery, and brakes. There's a rear diffuser too, with its air outlet integrated in the spoiler area. The paint accentuates the shape of the body with a 3D depth effect, and reflects a significant percentage of the thermal radiation in sunlight, reducing the need for use of AC.

According to the A6 e-tron concept's designer, Sascha Heyde, "the basic proportions, the wheel-tire dimensions with the 22-inch wheels, the measurements and the silhouette are the same as you will find in series cars that will enter into the automotive world in 2023".