Test Drive: Audi SQ6 e-tron - Quickly Upgraded

Audi quickly followed up with the Q6 – introducing the “S” – which definitely stands for fast, sporty, or simply “ssssst.” The Q8 e-tron must achieve success quickly in the (upper) mid-sized segment, as it already arrives late due to software issues. “Despite the competition from the USA and China, we are convinced that we will succeed with the Q6 e-tron,” beams Product Manager Philippe Bornert, hinting at Tesla’s Model Y and the BYD Tang. Incidentally, there will be a long version of the Ingolstadt SUV for the Chinese market. Naturally, the domestic market also plays an important role in the strategists’ plans with the four rings, as good money can still be made in Germany, and no one wants to lose the butter from their bread on their own doorstep.

The SQ6 e-tron fits between the two electric Macan models

That’s why we immediately got behind the wheel of the Audi SQ6 e-tron, which will be the top model until the RS variant appears. With a power output of 360 kW / 489 PS, it is anything but underpowered. A car that sprints from zero to 100 km/h in 4.4 seconds and reaches speeds of up to 230 km/h plays in the fast league. Naturally, the Audi SQ6 e-tron invites a direct comparison with the Porsche Macan Electric, with which it shares the Premium Platform Electric (PPE). This collaboration has already proven successful with the Porsche Taycan and the Audi e-tron GT. Especially when it comes to electromobility, it pays to keep an eye on costs and share the financial burden between two shoulders.

Because in the case of the battery, the weight does not only matter monetarily but also physically: the SQ6 e-tron is fitted with a 100 kWh battery (94.9 kWh net), allowing the Ingolstadt EV to achieve up to 598 kilometers according to WLTP. An important element of the PPE architecture is the 800-volt technology, which enables faster charging with a maximum of 270 kW. Audi states that the batteries can be charged from ten to 80 percent in 21 minutes. In our practical test, we arrived at the fast-charging station with just four percent battery. To save energy for range, the battery could not be cooled down to the ideal 25 degrees and was at 35.2 degrees. Therefore, the Audi Q6 e-tron charged at “only” up to 229 kW, but maintained this level for quite a while, enabling 55 kWh to flow into the energy storage in 15 minutes. An impressive performance.

If the HPC charger only offers 400 volts, the SQ6 e-tron switches to bank charging

In case only a 400-volt power station is available, the battery engineers in Zuffenhausen and Ingolstadt devised the bank charging method. This involves splitting the 800-volt batteries into two halves and filling them with 400 volts and a maximum of 135 kW. This splitting is done with switches, thus saving an inverter or booster needed to match the voltage, which enhances efficiency and consequently the charging performance. When charging with AC at a wallbox, the SQ6 e-tron delivers only average performance. Due to the 11 kW technology, it takes ten hours to fill the empty batteries. For a premium vehicle costing at least 93,800 euros, this is a significant drawback. In the future, a 22 kW variant will be available as an option.

Unlike Porsche: Audi sticks with the decoupled asynchronous machine at the front

It's a good move, even though Audi is already behind schedule and like the Macan, came to market about two years later than originally planned. The collaboration wasn’t entirely smooth. Interestingly, there are notable differences between the two corporate relatives. The Audi SQ6 e-tron’s power output lies between the Macan Electric (300 kW / 408 PS) and the Macan Electric Turbo (470 kW / 639 PS). Both brands take their own approach to the drivetrain: while the Zuffenhausen-based company uses permanently excited synchronous motors (PSM) at both axles focused on performance, Audi opts for a mixed solution. At the rear is a PSM, and at the front, an asynchronous E-machine (ASM). This is evident from the power distribution of the SQ6 e-tron: 140 kW / 190 PS with 275 Nm of torque at the front and 280 kW / 381 PS with 580 Nm at the rear.

The SQ6 is deliberately more balanced in axle load and tuning than the Macan

Audi deliberately chose this combination because the ASM drive does not generate any electrical drag losses when running unpowered, meaning it doesn’t contribute to propulsion. The reason is greater efficiency compared to a full PSM configuration, as the machine decouples from the drive whenever possible. In Ingolstadt, they always talk about the “Audi DNA,” which is supposed to be balanced. This is also reflected in the driving behavior. The SQ6 e-tron is not as focused on agility and sportiness as the Macan Electric, driving more smoothly and not quite as sharply. The Porsche does everything a bit more nimbly, be it steering, navigating through curves, or accelerating progressively out of corners.