The Audi A6 Avant TFSIe Plug-In Hybrid Estate: The Complete Guide For India

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Electric Cars: The Basics

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For those of you new to zero-emission electric driving, we recommend a read of the following articles:

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The Audi A6 Avant TFSIe PHEV Estate

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Audi AG, a Bavaria (Germany) based luxury automotive manufacturer is a wholly owned subsidiary of Volkswagen AG, the Germany automotive group. Volkswagen AG is one of the leading automotive companies in the global electric vehicle (EV) industry. Volkswagen has committed to an investment up to Euro 30 billion by 2023. It aims to sell 3 million electric vehicles by 2025 and launch up to 70 new EV models over the next 10 years.

With the launch of its electric vehicle ID. Family, VW is fast cementing a dominant position is to become the world’s largest electric vehicle manufacturer by 2028, with the automotive behemoth planning to manufacturer 22 million electric vehicles.  Audi also offers plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs), to include:

• A3 Sportback TFSIe
• A6 TFSIe
• A6 Avant TFSIe
• A7 Sportback TFSIe
• A8 TFSIe
• A8 L TFSIe
• Q3 TFSIe
• Q3 Sportback TFSIe
• Q5 TFSIe
• Q5 Sportback TFSIe
• Q7 TFSIe
• Q8 TFSIe

The Audi A6 premium car has been on sale since 1994. The A6 is currently in its fifth generation. The A6 is available as a saloon and an estate body type. The A6 is also available as a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV).

The A6 Avant TFSIe estate PHEV is one of the very few premium-badge plug-in hybrid electric estate cars available. Though a compelling proposition for a company-car driver, the A6 premium estate plug-in hybrid is just as compelling for private users, given the increased practicality of an estate car.

The electric vehicle (EV) has an above average EV battery size for a PHEV (17.9 kWh), with a claimed electric range up to 65 km (WLTP). Even adjusting for driving style, speed, weather conditions, passenger load, regenerative braking profile, the Audi A6 EV should be able to deliver well over 50 km on a fully charged battery. That is certainly sufficient for most daily commutes and shorter motorway driving.

Do keep in mind that driving in e-mode is not only smoother and more enjoyable, than driving a conventional internal combustion engine (ICE) equivalent, but it is also far cheaper per km to drive on pure electric mode.

Both the Audi 50 TFSIe quattro S tronic and the Audi 55 TFSIe quattro S tronic, combine an internal combustion engine (ICE) with an electric motor, to deliver greater vehicle efficiency. Audi claims a fuel economy up to 1.2 l/100km for the 50 TFSIe, and the 55 TFSIe.

Of course, to achieve higher levels of real-world fuel economy, the all-wheel drive A6 PHEV has to be driven on the pure electric mode as much as possible. Expect real-world fuel economy to be less efficient than the claimed figures, if the majority of the driving is on motorways at high speed!

It is important that the EV is charged on a regular basis, so that the financial savings from driving on e-mode can be leveraged to its maximum. Buying a PHEV without the intent to use the e-mode to its maximum potential is simply incomprehensible!

The Audi A6 plug-in electric estate incorporates a 7.2 kW onboard charger, perfect for charging at home, given that most homes are powered by single-phase power supply. Using a dedicated EV charger like Easee, the EV battery can fully charged in around two hours and 30 minutes. The PHEV does not offer DC charging compatibility.

However, best not to deplete the EV battery to empty. Always, adopt a ‘topping up’ approach to EV charging. It benefits fuel economy and moreover also benefits the long-term health of the EV battery (Audi offers a 8 years or 160,000 km warranty). Of course, by topping up on a regular basis, there is less time required to wait for recharging the EV between charges.

The 50 TFSIe combines a 2.0-litre petrol engine with an electric motor powered by the onboard EV battery. Despite the additional weight of the EV battery, the electric car has reasonably good performance: 0-100 km/h in 6.3 seconds (maximum output 299 PS and 370 Nm torque).

The top speed is 250 km/h. The 55 TFSIe is a little quicker and achieves 0-100 km/h in 5.7 seconds. And as is the case with EVs, the all-wheel drive Audi A6 plug-in also benefits from instant torque.

As with most premium-badge cars like Audi, high quality interiors come as standard, and the Audi A6 PHEV does not disappoint. The electric vehicle is also technology-laden, to include: Audi virtual cockpit, MMI navigation plus with MMI touch, Audi smartphone Interface and more.

The EV also includes a host of assistance systems, to include: city assist pack, park assist, Audi pre sense rear, head-up display, camera-based traffic sign recognition, lane departure warning inc emergency assist, passenger presence detection and more.

In terms of exterior styling, for those keen to migrate to electric driving, but in an EV that feels familiar in design, the Audi EV exterior styling is well suited. It is attractive without screaming it is futuristic. In terms of practicality, there is ample headroom and legroom for front and rear seat passengers and the drive is refined. The only limitation is the reduced boot size due to the placement of the onboard EV battery. A6 estate PHEV offers 405 L in cargo volume.

The EV has claimed tailpipe emissions up to 34g CO2/km. Again, substantially lower than the emissions of the conventional petrol variant. Bottom-line, electric driving is good for the environment and the wallet! The Audi electric car is not available in India.

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PROS	CONS
A practical family-friendly estate PHEV	Options and top trim are expensive
Decent zero-emission electric range (65 km)	DC charging not available
Incorporates quattro technology as standard	Exterior styling not exciting

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The Audi A6 TFSIe Avant PHEV Estate (credit: Audi)

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At A Glance
EV Type:	Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV)
Body Type:	Estate
Engine:	Petrol-Electric
Available In India:	No

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Variants (1 Option)
Audi A6 TFSIe (from ₹ N/A)

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EV Battery & Emissions
EV Battery Type:	Lithium-ion
EV Battery Capacity:	Available in one battery size: 17.9 kWh
Charging:	DC charging not available. On-board charger 7.2 kW AC (0% – 100%: 2 hrs 30 mins)
Charge Port:	Type 2
EV Cable Type:	Type 2
Tailpipe Emissions:	34 – 30g (CO2/km)
Battery Warranty:	8 years or 160,000 km

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Charging Times (Overview)
Slow charging AC (3 kW – 3.6 kW):	6 – 12 hours (dependent on size of EV battery & SOC)
Fast charging AC (7 kW – 22 kW):	3 – 8 hours (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC)
Rapid charging AC (43 kW):	0-80%: 20 mins to 60 mins (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC)
Rapid charging DC (50 kW+):	0-80%: 20 mins to 60 mins (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC)
Ultra rapid charging DC (150 kW+):	0-80% : 20 mins to 40 mins (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC)
Tesla Supercharger (120 kW – 250 kW):	0-80%: up to 25 mins (dependent on size of EV battery & SoC)

• Note 1: SoC: state of charge

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Dimensions
Height (mm):	1465
Width (mm):	1886
Length (mm):	4951
Wheelbase (mm):	2924
Turning Circle (m):	12.1
Boot capacity (L):	405

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50 TFSIe quattro S tronic
EV Battery Capacity:	17.9 kWh
Pure Electric Range (WLTP):	65 km
Electric Energy Consumption (kWh/100km):	18.9
Fuel Consumption (l/100km):	1.2 – 1.5
Charging:	DC charging not available. On-board charger 7.2 kW AC (0% – 100%: 2 hrs 30 mins)
Top Speed:	250 km/h
0-100 km/h:	6.3 seconds
Drive:	All-wheel drive (AWD)
Electric Motor (kW):	N/A
Max Power (PS):	299
Torque (Nm):	370
Transmission:	Automatic
Seats:	5
Doors:	5
Unladen Weight (kg):	2,150
Colours:	9
NCAP Safety Rating:	Five-Star

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55 TFSIe quattro S tronic
EV Battery Capacity:	17.9 kWh
Pure Electric Range (WLTP):	65 km
Electric Energy Consumption (kWh/100km):	19.6
Fuel Consumption (l/100km):	1.2 – 1.5
Charging:	DC charging not available. On-board charger 7.2 kW AC (0% – 100%: 2 hrs 30 mins)
Top Speed:	250 km/h
0-100 km/h:	5.7 seconds
Drive:	All-wheel drive (AWD)
Electric Motor (kW):	N/A
Max Power (PS):	367
Torque (Nm):	500
Transmission:	Automatic
Seats:	5
Doors:	5
Unladen Weight (kg):	2,150
Colours:	9
NCAP Safety Rating:	Five-Star

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Air Quality: The Basics

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It does not matter where in India one lives, no one can escape the increased level of air pollution engulfing our villages, towns and cities, across the country. However, this is not unique to India.

Air pollution has been documented globally as one of the key issues in increased mortality rates, in particular, for those that are most vulnerable: the children and the aged. Increased air pollution has been linked to increases in premature deaths, higher rates of cancer, heart attacks, stroke and lung diseases.   

In India, air quality worsens closer to more densely populated urban centres, the 1st, 2^nd and 3^rd tier cities. Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Bengaluru are just some of the examples of cities with dangerous levels of toxic air pollution or poor air quality. In fact, air pollution levels have been so high in India in the recent years, that it has captured the attention of the world media. 

Many factors affect the level of air pollution, but one that is significant, is the pollution released from road transportation, commonly referred to as ‘emissions’ or tailpipe emissions. For the majority of the globe, to include, India, emissions from petrol and diesel vehicles contribute more than 30% to air pollution. This is an average, and certainly, in more populated cities like Delhi and Mumbai, the level of toxic contribution from vehicle exhausts will be even higher. The other major contributor to air pollution is energy production and consumptions (fossil fuels).  

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So, what is air pollution?

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• Air pollution is the release of pollutants in our atmosphere that have a negative impact on the health of individuals and the environment as a whole. 

• The majority of pollutants are invisible. The are minutely small particles (finely divided solids) or gases that cannot be seen with the naked eye. These extremely small solid or liquid particles are also called particulates. Examples are: fumes, smoke, dust and soot. The majority of these particulates are less than 10 micrometres.    

• Air pollution can affect the environment both outdoors and indoors. There are a number of different types of pollutants, but the most well known are particulate matter, carbon dioxide, methane, carbon monoxide, sulphur dioxide and nitrogen dioxide.  

• Both carbon monoxide (CO) and nitrogen oxides (NO2), contribute to smog formation, very common in the winter months. Sulphur dioxide (SO2) contributes to haze and also acid rain formation. Particulate matters also contributes to haze and acid rain. All the above negatively impact health by increasing irritation of breathing passages, aggravation of asthma and irregular heartbeat. 

• Pollutants like carbon dioxide have a far reaching consequence on our lives. It is not only air pollution that it impacts, but as being a major source of greenhouse gas, CO2 has a long-term and detrimental impact on our environment and ecosystem. More commonly refereed to as ‘climate change’.

• Most of us know in India are familiar with PM 2.5 (fine particulate matter). These are tiny particles or droplets that are two and one half microns or less in width. A micron is a unit of measurement of length equal to one millionth of a metre. An increase in levels of PM 2.5 concentrations result in an increase in unhealthy air quality, haze etc. Vehicle exhausts are a major contributor to higher levels of PM 2.5 in the air.    

• Though measures like reducing traffic (odd-even system in Delhi), wearing air masks etc. can help reduce the impact of pollution, the reduction is not far-reaching. Zero-emission road transportation i.e. electric cars, are a panacea for a sustained and comprehensive improvement in air quality. The sooner, we in India, migrate to electric vehicles, the sooner can we start to improve our local air quality.  

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