The plug-in hybrid A6 can provide an impressive 65 miles of electric-only running – better than the 63 miles you get in the latest BMW 530e, but not quite matching the 70 miles that the Mercedes E 300 e can muster.
The plug-in hybrid A6 shares its powertrain with the new A5 e-hybrid quattro, which means you get a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine combined with an electric motor for a total of 295bhp. In markets outside the UK, there’s a more potent 362bhp variant, too, with the same set-up. However, as with the A5 e-hybrid, we won’t get the more powerful version here.
We were impressed overall by the new A6 Avant back in spring when we tested it for the first time, although the 200bhp petrol in front-wheel-drive guise felt a little sluggish with its 8.2-second 0-62mph time. With the extra muscle provided by the electric motor, the 295bhp A6 e-hybrid quattro in Avant or saloon form dispatches the same sprint in six seconds flat, with the 362bhp model reducing this to 5.3 seconds.
For most potential buyers, more important than straight-line speed will be the A6 e-hybrid quattro’s charging ability. The electric motor, which is integrated into a seven-speed automatic gearbox, is powered by a 25.9kWh battery (around 45 per cent larger than that of the old A6 PHEV). Audi claims the battery can accommodate a recharge rate of 11kW for a 2.5-hour zero to 100 per cent top-up. That’s not as quick as the 55kW rate the Mercedes E-Class plug-in hybrid allows, although most users are likely to charge at home, where rates are cheaper and time isn’t such a factor.
If you don’t fancy plugging the A6 in, Audi has also improved the efficiency of the brake regeneration system. There are three different brake regen settings operated via the steering wheel paddles, and automatic recuperation is also available. This essentially means the A6 e-hybrid quattro can analyse data from set routes in the sat-nav and set brake regeneration for specific areas such as hills and corners, and even for designated speed limits.
Aside from the zero-emissions A6 e-tron, the A6 e-hybrid quattro emits the least CO2 of any model in the range, with the 295bhp version putting out 48g/km and the 362bhp version 51g/km. Claimed fuel efficiency stands at 128.4mpg combined for the more powerful model, with the lesser-powered one returning 134.5mpg.
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