Audi A6 55 TFSI e quattro revealed

Its pure electric e-tron EV model family might be stealing the headlines but Audi is about to attack its Euro 6 emissions targets with a range of high-powered plug-in hybrid models.

The first is based on the new Audi A6 (revealed way back at the 2018 Geneva motor show), Australian pricing for which was announced in July ahead of the all-new large sedan’s local release in August in 55 TFSI form. The entry-level 2019 Audi A6 45 TFSI will follow in November, before the new A6 allroad does wagon duty here in 2020.

Five large Audi plug-in hybrids are in the pipeline for launch in Europe in the next few months – including the A7, A8, Q5 and Q7 -- all bearing the ‘TFSI e’ badge and all using the same combined powertrain.

In the A6, it will wear the 55 TFSI e quattro badge and deliver real-world fuel consumption of just 1.9L/100km and CO2 emissions of only 43g/km.

It won’t just be an emissions beater, though, with a total system output of 270kW of power, thanks to the combination of a 185kW version of Audi’s 2.0-litre TFSI turbo-petrol engine with a 105kW electric motor.

So there’s not only 500Nm of peak torque (at just 1250rpm), but 53km of pure electric driving range, measured on the tough Worldwide Light Vehicle Harmonised Test Procedure (WLTP), rather than the more generous NEDC system.

No slowpoke, the Audi A6 55 TFSI e quattro will reach 100km/h in a claimed 5.3 seconds and sprint on to a 250km/h top speed, while it will reach even 135km/h in pure electric mode.

The trick is that the lithium-ion battery for the electric motor, integrated into the luggage area, has a capacity of 14.1kWh of energy.

The electric motor is housed inside the seven-speed dual-clutch transmission, which means it conventionally drives the four wheels, rather than using the electric motor as a hang-on front-wheel drive system.

It’s another in an upcoming wave of long-range plug-in hybrids, which car-makers had been holding back for the arrival of the EU7 regulations next year.

There look to be two distinct EV range steps to meet the new regulations, with the Audi plug-in hybrid fleet meeting the lower end with 53km and cars like BMW’s X5 plug-in pushing it out beyond 80km.

The A6 delivers three different EV driving modes, from EV driving to Hold, which conserves the supplementary battery’s electric power for use later on.

The most the most efficient system will be the Hybrid mode, which combines input from the navigation system and topographical maps to work out when it’s most effective to use one motor, the other or a combination of the two. It can also plan to retain electric charge for zero-emission areas at the end of the route.

The Audi A6 55 TFSI e quattro can be recharged at 7.4kW, taking about two-and-a-half hours to recharge from empty.

None of Audi’s upcoming PHEV models, including the A6 e quattro, have been confirmed for Australia so far, but Audi’s local arm says it is evaluating them for a potential launch Down Under after the arrival of the all-electric Audi e-tron EV line-up.

However, the Audi e-tron SUV -- remains unavailable in Australia despite being launched globally in late 2018, when it committed to offering 20 electrified models by 2025, including 12 full EVs and five SUVs.

Since then news has emerged of both cheaper entry-level and faster S versions of the e-tron SUV and Audi has also confirmed the all-electric e-tron GT sports car, e-tron Sportback crossover and Q4 e-tron are on the way.