After an ill-fated coupe (R8 E-Tron), a sporty sedan (E-Tron GT), and a bunch of Q crossovers, Audi is finally making an electric wagon. It's probably going to be called A6 Avant E-Tron, and this is our best look yet. Spy shots show a production-ready prototype with most of the camouflage removed.
That said, there's still some deceiving body-colored tape at the front and rear of the vehicle, along with a bit of mascara on the headlights. Because split headlights are a trend nowadays, the A6 Avant E-Tron will echo the Q6 E-Tron and next-gen Q3 with two layers of lights. Where regulations allow, those nifty side cameras will replace the conventional mirrors.
Audi A6 E-Tron Avant new spy photos
Audi has already announced the ICE model will eventually transition to the A7 lineup to leave room for an electric-only A6 family. It'll be the same story with the A4 and A5 models. But when it debuts next year, Audi's first electric wagon will face some stiff competition from day one as BMW is months away from introducing the i5 Touring.
The A6 Avant E-Tron will be among the first products from the Volkswagen Group to ride on the PPE platform co-developed by Audi with Porsche. The Q6 E-Tron and an A6 E-Tron sedan/liftback are likely to come out first, with the next-gen Macan to use the same hardware.
Don't worry – Audi isn't abandoning wagons with combustion engines. The A5 Avant with gasoline/diesel power is coming in 2024 when we'll also see a hotter RS6 Avant. The Four Rings have pledged to keep producing ICE cars until 2033 but the last new cars with conventional powertrains will be launched in 2025.