A quick glance at the parking lot on this side of the pond, and one would be forgiven for thinking the station wagon—long top, front, variants, hunting brakes—is dead and buried. There’s still a small group of (avid) enthusiasts, which is probably a big reason why Audi decided to sell the mighty RS6 Avant.
Given our inclination towards SUVs and crossovers, the future of this new all-electric concept in North America looks bleak. Still, we take every opportunity to snap a photo of a skinny wagon—especially one that can go from 0 to 60 mph in under four seconds.
Like the Audi A6 e-tron concept car shown last year, the Avant also features an all-electric drive system based on the brand’s forward-looking PPE platform. This acronym, German has many, represents the bones on which many of Audi’s upcoming electric cars will be built and designed specifically for that purpose. The battery size and wheelbase of PPE vehicles are scalable, making them suitable for different market segments.
Including, as seen here, a very nice carriage. Audi insists its sleek lines and proportions predict future Audi production models and give clues to what the company’s merchandise will look like in the near future.
“With the Audi A6 Avant e-tron concept, we are offering a full preview of future production models on the new PPE technology platform,” said Oliver Hoffmann, Member of the Board of Directors for Technical Development at Audi. At 16.3 feet long and just under 6.5 feet wide, the concept is roughly the same size as the current Audi A6/A7 lineup.
What feeds it? The two electric motors are said to be capable of producing up to 470 horsepower and 590 pound-feet of torque. You can bet a hotter version is in the works. The battery capacity is listed at 100kWh (note that this may be a total, not a net), and depending on the drive system and output selected, the Audi has a maximum range of 435 miles on a full charge. Assuming one can hook up to a properly rugged Level 3 charging station, the company claims it can top up less than 200 miles of range in about 10 minutes.
Audi’s first production car based on the PPE platform will be unveiled in succession from 2023, and all new models launched by the company in 2026 will be electric vehicles. That doesn’t mean the four-ring internal combustion engine is going away at this point; it’s much later — 2035 to be exact.
[Images: Audi]