Driving the Audi Q6 e-tron

Audi e-tron History

While electric powertrains in luxury cars are becoming increasingly commonplace, there was a time when a luxury EV was a real novelty – and it wasn’t that long ago. In 2019, when Audi launched its e-tron SUV, it was one of the first luxury EVs. In the context of 2019, the e-tron was a pretty solid product; it looked and drove like an Audi, with lots of great tech and a fantastic interior.

Seen on the road today, the original e-tron still looks fresh and dynamic, but it did have its limitations as a first-generation EV. Built on a platform adapted from a combustion engine vehicle (the long-wheelbase Q5), the 2019 e-tron wasn’t the most efficient electric vehicle, didn’t have great charging speed, and range was disappointing. A facelift, turning it into the Q8 e-tron, addressed many of those concerns, but it’s actually the all-new midsize Audi EV SUV that’s more exciting.

That’s because the Q6 e-tron, introduced in late 2024, was designed from the ground up for electric propulsion. Built on an all-new platform shared with the excellent electric Porsche Macan, it has none of the compromises of being adapted from a gasoline car. It’s fast, efficient, well-packaged, with excellent range and charging speeds. Best of all, the characteristics that made the original e-tron attractive are still here: the Q6 e-tron looks like an Audi, drives like an Audi, and will feel like a seamless transition to EV driving for luxury car owners.

Q6 e-tron Range and Charging

Audi’s original e-tron could barely go 200 real-world miles on a single charge. Advancements in battery technology, aerodynamics, and electronic controls mean that the Q6 e-tron makes the most of its 100-kWh (94.4 kWh usable) lithium-ion pack. You’ll go an EPA-estimated 321 miles on a full charge with the rear-drive version, or 307 EPA estimated miles in the more-powerful all-wheel drive Q6 e-tron quattro like the one I tested.

A week’s worth of driving in varying conditions suggests that those estimates are conservative. On a perfect summer’s day mostly driving in the city, the range estimator ticked up to almost 320 EPA estimated miles on the quattro.  

Not only do you get more range than the original e-tron, but you also get much faster charging. Speeds of up to 270 kW are possible on compatible Level 3 chargers, meaning a 10 to 80 percent charge takes about 20 minutes, that’s close to class-leading, and nearly half the time you’d have spent before. Most drivers will take advantage of those fast-charging speeds on longer road trips.

When charging at home the Q6 offers maximum charging speeds of 11 kW on a Level 2 charger (faster than most on the market) as well as the convenience of charging ports on both sides of the car. Only the right-hand charging port, though, can DC fast charge. The Q6 currently uses the CCS-style plug most EVs have used for the last several years, but it will eventually adopt the Tesla-style NACS plug, and Audi offers an adaptor to connect to Tesla’s Supercharging network.

What’s the Audi Q6 e-tron like to Drive?

Despite being built on basically the same components as the Porsche Macan EV, which we have already reviewed here on GreenCars, the Q6 e-tron has a driving personality all its own. While the Porsche feels alert, sporty, and precise as you’d expect from Porsche, the Audi offers a calmer, smoother, and more relaxed drive.

Thanks to air suspension and staggered-fitment wheels with taller sidewalls, the Audi has a beautifully serene ride in the city and on the highway, and its steering is well-damped, with plenty of precision but not a lot of feel. The brakes are strong and easy to modulate, and there’s no perceptible transition between regenerative braking and the physical brakes.

That’s not to say that the Q6 e-tron lacks “oomph”! Even in regular Q6 form, with 422 horsepower to play with (456 hp when you engage launch control), acceleration is sportscar fast, coming on in a smooth, unrelenting rush unpunctuated by gearchanges. Opt for the even more powerful SQ6 e-tron and you get 483 horses or 509 hp with launch control.  

At low speeds, the powertrain emits a gentle thrum to remind you of the power under your right foot, which passengers seemed to like. The sound adds a little bit of character to what is otherwise a whisper-quiet cabin at almost all speeds.

High-Tech Interior

Speaking of the cabin, the Q6 e-tron is the first model in Audi’s lineup to feature the company’s new digital driver interface, with a huge, curved panel integrating both a high-resolution 11.9-inch instrument cluster as well as a 14.5-inch infotainment display.  

The on-screen graphics are clear, intuitive, and easy to understand, but as with most modern cars, there is a truly dizzying array of configuration options and the car insists you to “log in” with a personalized ID to save your settings, adding another layer of complexity. Naturally, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto come standard, along with a fast wireless charger in the center console, and there’s also an optional 10.9-inch passenger screen that can show data readouts, stream video, or mirror a smartphone.

All of those screens look very high-tech and bring a lot of gloss black into the cabin, on top of which Audi has added even more gloss black on the console, door panels, and other areas. This includes a switch panel on the driver’s door that controls the lights, mirrors, seat memory, and more. To be honest, it’s all a little much: if the car’s been freshly detailed, it looks great, but the interior soon becomes a mess of fingerprints and smudges. We feel this lessens the premium aspect of the car as does the hard plastics on the lower parts of the dash, console, and doors. Thankfully, the seats are upholstered in luxurious high-quality leather, along with elements of the dashboard.

No complaints, however, about the spaciousness, versatility or adaptability of the interior, which for a car of this size is first-rate. The front seats are comfortable for a long day of traveling, with power adjustments and variable support for legs, thighs, and heads. There’s plenty of elbow room throughout and the second row flips down to expand the generous cargo area. You’ll find plenty of usable storage space throughout the cabin, as well as a useful area under the trunk floor to hide charging cables and other items.

Price and Competition

With a starting MSRP of $63,800 for the rear-drive Q6 e-tron and MSRP of $65,800 for the all-wheel drive quattro model, the Q6 isn’t inexpensive, particularly if you see it as a competitor to the Tesla Model Y. On paper the Y offers similar levels of people and cargo space, as well as more performance for a lot less money. Rear-drive Ys start at under $50,000 MSRP, and Tesla’s tech is impressive. However, the Audi rides and steers much better, and people coming out of a luxury car will prefer its interior ambiance, those few cheap touches aside.

It is better to compare the Q6 e-tron to the Porsche Macan EV with which it shares so much. MSRP for the rear-drive Macan 2 starts at $75,300 and the Macan 4 starts at $78,800 MSRP. The Porsche has a higher level of interior finish and a more connected driving feel but otherwise offers few advantages when compared to the Audi, which has a higher level of standard equipment.  

Another competitor is the BMW iX, which has been updated for the 2026 model year and has a starting MSRP of $76,325 for the xDrive45 model. It offers more power and features as well as a lot more interior space in a larger package when compared to the Q6.

All of this is to say, if you like the Audi’s size, and want to buy a luxury SUV from an established manufacturer with an excellent dealer network, the Q6 e-tron has a lot to recommend it. This is a stylish, efficient, high-tech electric SUV with awesome efficiency, very fast charging, and a great set of features for the money.

Audi's Electric Evolution: From e-tron to Q6 Excellence