Cheapest Audi Q6 e-tron details revealed

Since its unveiling back in March of this year, the Audi Q6 e-tron has attracted a lot of interest. Initially, we saw two versions - the Q6 e-tron performance and the Q6 e-tron Quattro with the SQ6 e-tron crowning the lineup. Audi has quietly added another version to the Q6 e-tron family, this time an entry-level model.

Audi’s online configurator revealed the “base” specification, simply called the Q6 e-tron. Starting at €63,500 in Germany, this version comes with a lot of kit missing, but it is the cheapest way to get into Audi’s latest electric SUV.

Starting with visual cues, the base model sports 18” wheels wrapped in chunky 65-profile tires. The bottom of the vehicle comes in a matt black finish, and so do window trim and roof rails. On the inside, you’ll find fabric seats instead of leather ones, and the wooden accents are varnished in volcano gray.

By far, the biggest change is the new powertrain and the battery. The base model gets a smaller, 83 kWh battery pack with 75.8 kWh of usable capacity. The rear-mounted electric motor has an output of 185 kW, which can be boosted to 215 kW with the optional Launch Control mode. As expected, the top speed drops to 130 mph and the acceleration from 0 to 62 mph takes a leisurely seven seconds.

The smaller battery supports slightly slower 225 kW DC charging than its bigger siblings’ 260 kW. That translates to 21 minute charge time from 10 to 80% capacity. Home charging from empty to full takes 8 hours at 11 kW.

While the entry price sounds attractive, adding extra equipment means the price climbs very quickly. Tech package, which comes with LED Plus headlights and adaptive cruise control, will set you back $4,040, but if you want the Matrix headlights, that’s extra $7,600. The Tech Plus package throws in a passenger display, heated seats front and back, S-Sport suspension, and e-tron sports sound, among many other things. The most expensive package is the $10,000 Tech Pro with a long list of extra equipment, with adaptive air suspension and ADAS included.

Ticking all the configuration boxes, adding 21” wheels, and opting for a full-body color quickly brings the price of the cheapest Audi Q6 e-tron to nearly $96,100. That’s quite a steep ask for a car that’s neither quick by today’s standards nor a long-distance cruiser. The estimated mixed-driving range of 285 miles on a full charge will quickly diminish on a highway, making the Q6 e-tron more usable for city and countryside driving than for crosscountry quick trips.

The cheapest Audi Q6 e-tron offers an easier entry point for Audi fans to own an electric family SUV. There seem to be plenty of trade-offs in exchange for lower prices, but Audi knows its customers well. On a side note, this new powertrain will very likely make its way to the cheapest Audi A6 Sportback e-tron and its sibling, the A6 Avant e-tron.

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