Electric Cars: The Basics
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The Audi A6 TFSIe PHEV Saloon
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 executive premium saloon has been on sale since 1994. The A6 is currently in its fifth generation. The A6 is also available as a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV).
Though a compelling proposition for a company car driver, the A6 premium plug-in hybrid is just as compelling for private users. The electric vehicle (EV) has an above average EV battery size for a PHEV (17.9 kWh), with a claimed electric range up to 68 km (WLTP certified). Even adjusting for real-world driving conditions, the Audi A6 EV should be able to deliver well over 60 km on a fully charged EV 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 mile to drive an EV. Depending on the cost to charge the EV, driving per km on electric mode can be as low as 5 cents per km, considerably lower than driving a conventional petrol or diesel vehicle.
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 1.4 l/100 km.
Of course, to achieve higher levels of real-world fuel economy, the all-wheel drive A6 PHEV has to be driven on the 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 PHEV has a claimed 34 g (CO2/km) tailpipe emissions, again much lower than the conventional petrol or diesel variant. Lower tailpipe emission electric cars help reduce local air pollution.
The Audi A6 plug-in electric saloon incorporates a 7.2 kW onboard charger, perfect for charging at home. Using a dedicated EV charger, the EV battery can fully charged in around two hours. 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 EV battery 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 6.2 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 5.6 seconds. And as is the case with EVs, the 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 saloon PHEV offers 360 L in cargo volume.
Bottom-line, electric driving is good for the environment and the wallet!
| PROS | CONS |
|---|---|
| High quality interior | Cheaper PHEVs available |
| Good electric range | Onboard charger limited to single phase AC charging |
| A comfortable and refined drive | Exterior styling not exciting |
Gallery
The Audi A6 TFSIe Saloon PHEV (credit: Audi)
| At A Glance | |
|---|---|
| EV Type: | Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) |
| Body Type: | Saloon |
| Engine: | Petrol-Electric |
| Available In Ireland: | Yes |
| Variants (3 Options) |
|---|
| Audi A6 SE 50 TFSIe quattro S tronic (from € 68,285) |
| Audi A6 S line 50 TFSIe quattro S tronic (from € 71,830) |
| Audi A6 Competition 55 TFSIe quattro S tronic (from € 73,670) |
| 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 |
| Charge Port: | Type 2 |
| EV Cable Type: | Type 2 |
| Tailpipe Emissions: | 34 – 24 g (CO2/km) |
| Warranty: | 8 years or 160,000 km |
| Average Cost Of Residential Charging | |
|---|---|
| Battery net capacity : 8.8 kWh | € 2.10 |
| Battery net capacity : 11.6 kWh | € 2.78 |
| Battery net capacity : 12.0 kWh | € 2.87 |
| Battery net capacity : 13.10 kWh | € 3.14 |
| Battery net capacity : 14.10 kWh | € 3.37 |
- Note 1: The average cost of residential electricity in Ireland varies depending on the region, supplier and type of energy used. An average for Ireland is 23.97 cents/kWh.
- Note 2: Not all EV manufactures make available the data on net EV battery capacity, and in a number of instances the EV battery capacity advertised, does not state if it is gross or net capacity. In general, usable EV battery capacity is between 85% to 95% of the gross available capacity.
| 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) |
- Note 1: SoC: state of charge
| Dimensions | |
|---|---|
| Height (mm): | 1457 |
| Width (mm): | 1886 |
| Length (mm): | 4939 |
| Wheelbase (mm): | 2924 |
| Turning Circle (m): | 12.1 |
| Boot capacity (L): | 360 |
| 50 TFSIe quattro S tronic | |
|---|---|
| EV Battery Capacity: | 17.9 kWh |
| Pure Electric Range (WLTP): | 68 km |
| Electric Energy Consumption (kWh/100km): | 15.1 |
| Fuel Consumption (l/100km): | 1.4 – 1.0 |
| Charging: | DC charging not available. On-board charger 7.2 kW AC |
| Top Speed: | 250 km/h (electrical 135 km/h) |
| 0-100 km/h: | 6.2 seconds |
| Drive: | All-wheel drive (AWD) |
| Electric Motor (kW): | N/A |
| Max Power (PS): | 299 |
| Torque (Nm): | 450 |
| Transmission: | Automatic |
| Seats: | 5 |
| Doors: | 4 |
| Unladen Weight (kg): | 2,010 |
| Colours: | 13 |
| NCAP Safety Rating: | Five-Star |
| 55 TFSIe quattro S tronic | |
|---|---|
| EV Battery Capacity: | 17.9 kWh |
| Pure Electric Range (WLTP): | 68 km |
| Electric Energy Consumption (kWh/100km): | 15.1 |
| Fuel Consumption (l/100km): | 1.4 – 1.2 |
| Charging: | DC charging not available. On-board charger 7.2 kW AC |
| Top Speed: | 250 km/h (electrical 135 km/h) |
| 0-100 km/h: | 5.6 seconds |
| Drive: | All-wheel drive (AWD) |
| Electric Motor (kW): | N/A |
| Max Power (PS): | 367 |
| Torque (Nm): | 500 |
| Transmission: | Automatic |
| Seats: | 5 |
| Doors: | 4 |
| Unladen Weight (kg): | 2,010 |
| Colours: | 13 |
| NCAP Safety Rating: | Five-Star |
Top Reasons To Buy An Electric Vehicle (EV)
Never have the reasons to buy an electric car been more compelling, than 2022. The past decade has witnessed a significant maturity of all types of electric vehicles (EVs), to include, battery-electric vehicles (BEVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs). A BEV, also known as a pure electric car, is propelled using energy stored in an EV battery via an electric motor. While a PHEV uses ‘hybrid technology’, to include, an internal combustion engine (ICE) and an electric motor, to propel the vehicle.
One of the primary differences between a BEV and a PHEV, is that, a pure electric car, like the best-selling Tesla Model 3, has a much longer zero-tailpipe emission electric range, compared to a plug-in hybrid electric car, like the Toyota Prius PHEV. The reason is simple: a BEV has a much larger onboard EV battery. In general, the latest BEVs have a zero-emission range between 150 to 400 kms, while PHEVs average closer to 50 kms. Given the significant increase in electric range, improvement in EV charging infrastructure and attractive government grants, BEVs are fast becoming the preferred type of electric vehicle to own!
| Lower tailpipe emissions and lower air pollution i.e. improves air quality in the immediate area. |
| Significantly cheaper to recharge a full EV battery, compared to filling a full tank of petrol/ diesel. An EV battery can be charged for as little as €10, while filling a tank of fuel is over €100! |
| Cheaper to drive per km, compared to an internal combustion engine petrol/ diesel car. An EV costs less than 5 cents per km to drive. |
| Lower maintenance costs, compared to an internal combustion engine petrol/ diesel car. Pure electric cars have fewer moving parts, so less can go wrong! |
| Lower noise pollution, compared to an internal combustion engine petrol/ diesel car. Noise pollution is as detrimental on health, as air pollution! |
| A vast range of fantastic EV available on sale, for all budgets and aspirations. EVs have come a long way since the introduction of the first generation all-electric Nissan Leaf in 2010. |
| Attractive government subsidies to support the uptake of electric cars. Take advantage while still available. |
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