If you are looking for a premium executive electric car, there are quite a few around to choose from. There is the BMW i5, the Mercedes EQE and the Porsche Macan Electric to name a few. We however were thrilled to take delivery of the Audi A6 e-tron to put it though its paces even if was only for a week.
When it comes to design and styling the Audi wins by a long chalk. It is sleek and sporty at the same time with a sloping roof and huge alloys. The e-tron logo is displayed on a panel on the side so no-one is in any doubt about what model it is. There are blacked out rear windows, and as it is all electric the front grille is blanked out as well and of course no exhaust pipes required. Door handles are hidden and are easily opened by a little switch, making the car look very aerodynamic.
Getting inside the car is not all that easy due to the sport seats not being all that conducive with the drivers’ shape! Inside the car Audi has used lots of high quality materials in the places you see but have cut back; using cheaper plastic on the places that are more concealed, which makes sense really.
There is plenty of space in the front but the rear, however, is a little tighter, not helped by the battery being held under the floor and the small window is not great for visibility but then that’s why there is a surround view camera system which works very well. There is oodles of storage space helped by the flexible seating arrangements and the front boot, where the engine would normally be.
The computer system is very hi-tech as you would imagine from Audi, no physical buttons so lots of scrolling required. We loved the indicators that flash green inside the car so no justification for forgetting to switch them off. The no wing mirror cameras caused a bit of discussion, Ally didn’t like them as much as Lorraine did. They do cost an extra £1500, so if they are clipped and broken, that is a costly repair. They did cause some drivers driving behind us some confusion and one in particular was craning his neck either side of us to get a better look.
Driving the A6 e-tron was simply magnificent, it is quiet, smooth with great acceleration.
Range is the only thing we were a bit unsure of and we think 400 miles on a full charge is a tad optimistic.
Ally says: "With the fabulous design and engineering it comes as no surprise to see the hefty price tag, however when you look at the e-tron’s rivals it actually holds its own in the sector."
Lorraine says: "A wonderful driving experience for an electric car and whilst many critics are unhappy with the wing mirrors being replaced by high tech cameras, I actually liked them once I got used to them."
