Leaked: Audi's all-electric Tesla rival

Images of Audi’s all-new Q6 have been leaked online months before its reveal at this September’s Frankfurt motor show.

The renderings, said to be official, first appeared late last night on German website Auto Motor und Sport and are thought to be final drawings of the concept, codenamed C-BEV, that will preview the zero-emission Q6 e-tron.

On sale some time in 2018, it’s already been confirmed by senior Audi board member Dr Ulrich Hackenberg, the Q6 will ride on the Q7’s MLB evo platform and that the objective for engineers was that it must cover 500km between charges.

Back then, Hackenberg said the Q6 must be “a technical light tower” and incorporate state-of-the-art technology.

According to reports from sources close to Audi the C-BEV will lift its motor and the 92kWh batteries from the latest R8 e-tron supercar, but instead of two rear-mounted motors, the Q6 will benefit from an additional third motor encased within its gearbox.

With the third motor the production Q6 e-tron will generate even more power, and the concept is expected to have a combined total of 375kW/700Nm. Factor in widespread use of lightweight composites like carbon-fibre and the new Tesla rival is expected to hit 100km/h in less than four seconds and top out at a limited 250km/h.

As well as a state-of-the-art powertrain the next-generation Q6 e-tron is expected to have a fully autonomous driving feature to allow occupants to enjoy the big Audi’s next-generation infotainment system.

Following the launch of the all-electric version, other more conventional variants powered by internal combustion engines will join the Q6 range. All engines will be borrowed from the Q7 range.

Audi is expected to reveal more of what will star on the 2018 Q6 e-tron production car at the Frankfurt show in September.