The next-generation Avant
The Audi A6 Avant e-tron concept
The perfect symbiosis of form and function that offers a sneak preview of the near future.
Tomorrow’s Avant
The all-electric Audi A6 Avant e-tron concept car is the latest precursor to tomorrow’s electrically driven Audi A6 family. We take a more in-depth look at this concept vehicle that wraps up everyday functionality in a truly elegant package.
While the Audi A6 Avant e-tron concept’s design testifies to its pedigree as a member of the successful Audi A6 model series, it also proves how the series can make an evolutionary leap into the e-tron era. This is evident in details such as the continuous light strip at the rear, and the large, enclosed single-frame grille, which has a lower edge flanked by air intakes set close to the ground for cooling the drive, battery and brakes.
Statistics
435
Miles range under
the WLTP standard
800
Volts system and a charging
capacity of up to 270kW
22-inch
Alloy wheels give the Avant
proportions reminiscent of a sports car
Since the design shies away from hard edges, there is a seamless transition of shadows cast by the Audi A6 Avant e-tron concept’s convex and concave contours. The pairing of 22-inch wheels and short overhangs with a flattened cabin and wide Avant roof arch give the vehicle a sporty look and feel. In signature style, the flat roof arch with angled D-pillar rakes down to the rear. Much like the Audi A6 Sportback e-tron concept of the same size, this study’s dimensions – 4.96m x 1.96m x 1.44m (lxwxh) – positions it in the automotive executive class.
The Audi A6 Avant e-tron concept packs a streamlined form that has undergone wind-tunnel testing. In fact, elegance is only half the appeal of the car’s athletic proportions and lines, which culminate in the signature Avant rear. They also add up to a drag coefficient of 0.24 – just two-hundredths more than the Sportback, despite the Avant’s high roof line. The minimal air resistance means energy consumption is reduced, which can in turn have a positive effect on range.
Digital Matrix LED and OLED technology is not only compact but also lends both headlights and taillights a high degree of brightness, as well as multifunctional features including customisable light signatures. Thanks to three high-resolution LED projectors on the body, the car can project light animations onto the ground that serve as a greeting to occupants or warning symbols alerting road users.
Another four high-resolution LED projectors at the vehicle’s corners function as turn signals. If, for instance, the Audi A6 Avant e-tron concept is parked in front of a wall during charging, the driver and passengers can pass the time by playing a video game projected onto the wall by the digital Matrix LED headlights. At the concept car’s rear, a new generation of digital OLED elements integrated into the continuous light strip act as a display generating customisable digital light signatures and dynamic light animations. The three-dimensional architecture of the digital OLED elements creates light animations with striking spatial effects.
