Audi is introducing a more efficient, rear-wheel drive version of its Q6 e-tron SUV, which it says is capable of offering over 600km of range on a full charge.

    It hasn’t released any images of the Q6 e-tron performance, however, apart from a cryptic B-pillar shot.

    European deliveries will begin in the third quarter of this year, and it’ll be the first purely rear-wheel drive variant on the Premium Platform Electric co-developed by Audi and Porsche.

    Audi Australia has previously confirmed the Q6 e-tron for Australia, but hasn’t specified launch timing or which variants will come here.

    The RWD performance packs the same 100kWh (94.9kWh net) battery as all-wheel drive models, which is capable of pushing it to the claimed 641km range figure, measured on the European WLTP testing cycle.

    With its RWD setup incorporating a permanent magnet synchronous motor (PSM), the Q6 e-tron performance produces 225kW and is capable of a 0-100km/h time of 6.7 seconds.

    With launch control active, power is increased to 240kW and its 0-100km/h time is trimmed to 6.6 seconds.

    Its claimed 641km capability places it at the top of the Q6 e-tron lineup in terms of range, pipping the 625km figure of the quattro, and puts it well above the similarly sized and priced BMW iX3 with its claimed WLTP range of 460km.

    At a suitable fast charging station, Audi says it’s possible to add 161 miles (around 260km) of driving range in 10 minutes. The maximum charging rate is 270kW.

    The performance will be followed by another rear-wheel drive member of the Q6 e-tron family.

    The latest addition to the Q6 e-tron lineup comes after the unveiling of two other variants in March: the Q6 e-tron quattro, with 285kW of power, and the SQ6 e-tron, with a maximum system output of 380kW.

    European deliveries of these will begin in August.

    MORE: Audi Q6 e-tron – Porsche Macan sibling unveiled
    MORE: Everything Audi Q6 e-tron

    Max Davies

    Max Davies is an automotive journalist based in Melbourne, Australia. Max studied journalism at La Trobe University and stepped into the automotive world after graduating in late 2023. He grew up in regional Victoria, and with a passion for everything motorsport is a fan of Fernando Alonso.

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