The Audi S6 Sportback e-tron is coming to the U.S. in 2025, but I have already experienced it at the 2024 Paris Motor Show. Here’s what I observed during my time with the new electric business sedan in France:
Design
The Audi S6 Sportback e-tron features an aggressive yet clean character with offbeat details that are new for the brand’s sedans. Instead of the traditional Singleframe, it has a closed and inverted grille, surrounded by a black mask that integrates the adaptive Matrix LED headlights, the ADAS sensors, and the air intakes.
The visibly slim daytime running lights lie separately, above the headlights, and they can generate eight different light signatures. Unfortunately, the adaptive Matrix LED and active digital light signature functions of the split headlamps are not available in the U.S.
A low and particularly dynamic roofline provides the Audi S6 Sportback e-tron a coupe-like appearance from the sides, and 21-inch alloy wheels add to the powerful look. The OLED rear lights 2.0 generate a new image every ten milliseconds and display a static light signature with integrated warning symbols when needed. However, the car-to-X communication feature has also been excluded from the U.S. model.
Interior
Coming to the interior, the dashboard has an asymmetric design, and it blends with the door panels to make you feel like the cabin envelopes around you.
The Audi S6 Sportback e-tron comes with an 11.9-inch virtual driver information display and a 14.5-inch central touchscreen combined into a single, curved panel in the cockpit area. Plus, there’s also a 10.9-inch touchscreen for the front passenger, allowing them to watch movies and stream series on the go. In markets where virtual mirrors are available (not the U.S.), their dedicated displays are located inside the doors, which, along with these displays, forms a digital wrap around the front occupants. A second-generation AR-HUD is also available.
My experience with the Audi S6 Sportback e-tron
Stepping into the Audi S6 Sportback e-tron felt similar to the gas-powered S6 or S7, except for the slightly higher floor due to the battery pack. The doors opened wide, and once seated, I immediately felt the comfort of the body-hugging seats. With excellent lumbar and shoulder support and extendable cushions for under-thigh support, the seating felt extremely comfortable.
The headroom was adequate for my six-foot frame, though it was not as generous as in the Audi SQ6 e-tron. The steering wheel had the typical Audi grip, and I was impressed by the three different materials on the dashboard, including Alcantara, which lifted the cabin’s ambiance.
Visibility is slightly compromised due to the swooping design, but the panoramic glass roof floods the cabin with light, giving a sense of openness. When I moved to the rear seat, I found it less comfortable. The slightly knee-up position can be an issue for taller passengers, and the knee room is just adequate when the front seats are adjusted for someone my height.
Headroom is fine, but it’s clear the rear seat isn’t the focal point of this car—it’s designed for driving pleasure. While it’s spacious enough for average-sized adults, sitting three abreast is comfortable only on shorter trips.
Specifications
The Audi S6 Sportback e-tron sits on PPE a platform co-developed with Porsche specially for upper mid-size electric vehicles. It sports two motors, one on each axle, which gives it an all-wheel drive drivetrain layout.
The two motors produce up to 496 horsepower normally, but with launch control enabled, that figure temporarily goes up to 543 horsepower, allowing the car to accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in an estimated 3.7 seconds. Flat out, the Audi S6 Sportback e-tron achieves a top speed of 149 mph. An adaptive air suspension is part of the standard equipment.
A 94.4 kWh (net) battery pack, chargeable at up to 9.6 kW(AC)/270 kW (DC), supplies energy to the electric motors. You can charge it from 10 to 80% as quickly as 21 minutes. The Audi S6 Sportback e-tron does come with the essential Plug & Charge function for convenience. We expect it to deliver an EPA-estimated range of around 330 miles.
Price & Release date
The Audi S6 Sportback e-tron will arrive in the U.S. in 2025 and its prices should start in the USD 95,000-100,000 range.
An automobile engineer by training, I’ve analyzed the global car market since 2005, with a keen focus on EVs since 2008. My journey in online automotive publishing spans 17 years, during which I have reviewed cutting-edge automotive technologies and interviewed leading global CEOs and vehicle developers.
