Audi quietly dropped an extreme overland Q6 e-tron — and we are here for it

The overlanding trend may be played out, but no one told Audi — and they absolutely knocked it out of the park with this extreme off-road Q6 e-tron concept featuring genuine, high-clearance portal axles. (!?)

Volkswagen has been struggling to keep its Audi brand on track recently, but there is no denying team Audi’s styling chops. As if to underscore that point, Audi showed up at this year’s world cup weekend in Kitzbühel, Austria with what the company calls “a highly emotive” Q6 e-tron offroad concept powered by a pair of electric motors (one at each axle) with a combined 380 kW (about 510 hp) and the ability climb 100% grades (45 degrees) thanks to its electric portal axles.

If you’re not familiar with portal axles, it’s a rarely-seen drivetrain design that offsets – usually from above – drive shaft or CV axle from the center of the wheel hub either to dramatically increase or (in rare cases) lower the ground clearance of a given vehicle. Power is then transferred from the axle the wheel through a simple gearbox, built into each hub.

Portal axle examples

The development of an electric portal axle is crucial here, because it elevates the Audi concept from a styling exercise into the realm of engineering studies — and speaks, potentially, to more aggressively off-road focused products from Audi or (more likely) the Volkswagen Group’s ag and Scout brands.

Or, possibly, to a future where Audi is seen as a rugged, ultra-lux off-road brand. It’s a possible future hinted at by Audi CEO Gernot Döllner. “The Q6 e-tron offroad concept is a reinterpretation of quattro,” he said, in a statement. “The model shows the potential that our platform for all electric vehicles already has today. This vehicle can claim new ground. We look forward to seeing our customers’ reactions to this highly emotive car.”

The portal axles use gear reduction to increase torque to the wheels at the cost of top speed, which is now limited to 175 km/h (just under 110 mph). More than enough for a high-riding off-roader, in other words — but with up to 13,400 Nm (9,883 lb-ft) of torque at the wheels, you get the sense that it will get from 0-108 mph as quick as you’d like.

Obviously there’s no word yet on any production possibilities, but it looks so good that there’s sure to be one or two copycats at the next SEMA show. Give the Audi Q6 e-tron offroad concept a look for yourself in the photo gallery, below, then let us know what you think in the comments.

Audi Q6 e-tron offroad concept

SOURCE | IMAGES: Audi.