What: Audi Q6 e-tron offroad concept
Model Family: Q6 e-tron
Production: Prototype concept (2025)
Assembly: Ingolstadt, Germany (concept development)
Class: Electric off-road concept SUV
Body style: 5-door Sportback SUV
Layout: Dual-motor all-wheel drive
Platform: Premium Platform Electric (PPE)
Debuted: 2025 World Cup weekend in Kitzbühel, Austria / 2025 F.A.T. Ice Race
Year: 2025
Registration Plate(s):
Number Produced: 1
Status: Audi AG
Model / Generation Code(s): type GF
Chassis / Matrix: PPE
Drivetrain: all-wheel drive with Portal Axles
Power output: 380 kW (approx. 510 hp)
Top speed: 175 km/h (108 mph)
OVERVIEW
The Audi Q6 e-tron Offroad Concept is a one-off prototype unveiled in January 2025 as an exploration of extreme off-road capability built on Audi’s Premium Platform Electric (PPE). Based on the production Audi Q6 e-tron, the concept reinterprets Audi’s quattro heritage in an all-electric format, combining advanced drivetrain control with newly developed portal axles and extensive chassis modifications.
The vehicle was first presented during the World Cup weekend in Kitzbühel, Austria, and later demonstrated in action at the F.A.T. Ice Race.
DEVELOPMENT & CONCEPT
Audi engineers created the Q6 e-tron Offroad Concept to showcase the adaptability of the PPE architecture beyond conventional road use. The project focused on maximizing torque delivery, ground clearance, and wheel articulation while maintaining the performance characteristics of a modern electric drivetrain.
According to Gernot Döllner, CEO of Audi, the concept represents a “reinterpretation of quattro,” demonstrating how Audi’s electric platforms can support highly emotive and technically ambitious vehicles.
PORTAL AXLES & OFF-ROAD ENGINEERING
A defining feature of the concept is its newly developed portal axle system. Unlike conventional portal axles that typically increase wheel torque by 20–30 percent, Audi’s design increases torque at the wheel by approximately 50 percent. The system integrates portal gear assemblies into the front and rear wheel hubs and required modifications to suspension links and geometry.
The portal axles raise the vehicle’s ride height by 160 mm (6.3 in) and widen the track by 250 mm (9.8 in), giving the concept a significantly broader and more aggressive stance. Combined with the enhanced torque multiplication, the Q6 e-tron Offroad Concept can climb gradients of up to 100 percent (45 degrees).
During short peak intervals, total torque delivered at the wheels reaches approximately 13,400 Nm (9,883 lb-ft), enabling extreme low-speed traction. The increased gearing effect reduces maximum speed to 175 km/h (108 mph), a trade-off aligned with the vehicle’s off-road focus.
POWERTRAIN & PLATFORM
The concept uses a dual-motor electric powertrain producing a combined output of 380 kW. The PPE platform provides the structural and electronic foundation, including high-voltage architecture, advanced thermal management, and torque-vectoring capabilities.
The Q6 e-tron production model, which underpins the concept, is positioned as a benchmark for Audi’s next generation of electric vehicles, emphasizing efficiency, range, and fast-charging performance. The off-road concept demonstrates how this platform can be adapted for specialized applications.
DESIGN & APPEARANCE
Visually, the Q6 e-tron Offroad Concept features an elevated ride height, widened wheel arches, and large off-road tires that reinforce its purpose-built character. The broader stance and increased ground clearance create a dramatic departure from the standard Q6 e-tron’s road-oriented proportions.
The design blends Audi’s modern electric SUV styling with functional off-road elements, underscoring the technical modifications beneath the bodywork.
PUBLIC APPEARANCES
The concept made its world debut in Kitzbühel, Austria, during the Alpine Ski World Cup weekend in January 2025. It was subsequently showcased in dynamic driving demonstrations at the F.A.T. Ice Race on February 1, 2025, and featured prominently across Audi Sport’s digital media channels.
SIGNIFICANCE
The Audi Q6 e-tron Offroad Concept illustrates the potential for electric vehicle platforms to support extreme off-road applications traditionally associated with mechanical drivetrain solutions. By combining portal axles with electric torque control, Audi presented a modern interpretation of its quattro philosophy, adapted for the era of electrification.
Though not confirmed for production, the concept signals Audi’s interest in expanding the emotional and functional scope of its electric vehicle lineup.
REFERENCES
Audi AG press release, “Ready to blaze new trails – Audi unveils Q6 e-tron offroad concept,”
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