2018 Audi Q6 to be previewed by e-tron Quattro concept at Frankfurt

The e-tron Quattro concept has a coupé-like shape similar to the BMW X6

Frankfurt-bound concept car to preview looks of new Q6 and new all-electric SUV, which will go on sale in 2018 and offer at least 500bhp

Audi has released official sketches of its upcoming e-tron Quattro concept car, which will make its debut at the Frankfurt motor show next month and previews the all-electric Q6 SUV.

With dimensions that place it in between the current Q5 and Q7, the e-tron Quattro has been described by insiders as a "production-relevant zero-emissions concept." It's currently undergoing the final stages of construction at Audi's Ingolstadt engineering headquarters.

Audi says the concept "provides an outlook on the brand's first large series electric car" and is claimed to make zero-emissions driving "a pleasure, not a compromise."

Originally known under the internal codename of 'C-BEV', the existence of the concept was first hinted at during Audi’s 2015 annual accounts press conference in April. This electric SUV has been conceived as a direct rival to the all-electric Tesla Model X in an engineering programme instigated by the company’s head of research and development, Ulrich Hackenberg.

The e-tron Quattro concept is claimed to provide clues to an upcoming Q6 SUV model. The electric SUV has a planned on-sale date “in key global markets during the second half of 2018”.

The basis for the new battery-powered SUV, which is claimed to have a range of “at least 500km [311 miles]”, is the latest version of Audi’s MLB platform, as used by the recently introduced second-generation Q7.

Sources involved in the development of the e-tron Quattro confirm that it shares elements of its electric powertrain, including its motor and battery technology, with the latest evolution of the R8 e-tron.

However, unlike the R8 e-tron, which has two rear-mounted electric motors, each driving a rear wheel, the new SUV has three electric motors. One of these is sited within the gearbox, while the other two are mounted on the rear axle, where each drives a rear wheel.

Keen to project a performance image for the model, Audi plans to provide the e-tron Quattro with at least 500bhp and 516lb ft. By comparison, the production version of the R8 e-tron has 454bhp and 678lb ft, sufficient to propel it to 62mph in 3.9sec and on to a top speed of 155mph.

Energy for the electric motor will be drawn from a lithium-ion battery mounted low in the car’s platform, which is a mix of hot-formed steel, aluminium and carbonfibre-reinforced plastic. Audi says mounting the battery low within the car "provides for a low center of gravity and a balances axle load distribution. And that gives the car better driving dyanmics and driving safetly than other vehicles in the segment."

Although not official at this stage, the talk is that the lithium ion battery pack could have a capacity as high as 90kWh. This fits Audi’s recent strategy, under which the R8 e-tron’s battery has grown from 49kWh to 92kWh in its most recent evolution.

These latest pictures show the new concept car has a coupé-like silhouette similar to that of the BMW X6 and the recently launched Mercedes-Benz GLE Coupé. Audi is also claiming a “sensational Cd value for an SUV” of 0.25. The e-tron Quattro concept features the first use of Audi's Matrix Organic LED lights in a new signature pattern.

In a move that suggests it will receive the most contemporary infotainment, connectivity and autonomous driving features, the interior architecture is planned to be shared with the next-generation A8 luxury saloon, due in 2017. Early sketches of the car's four-seat interior reveal a minimalist layout with a floating centre console, digital control surfaces and a digital instrument cluster. Audi says the infotainment system will incorporate gesture controls, while rear passengers each get their own Organic LED displays.

To provide what Audi engineers describe as a Range Rover-rivalling ride quality, the C-BEV will use the same underpinnings as the new Q7, although it remains to be seen whether it will receive conventional steel springs or an air spring set-up.

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