According to reports from Top Gear, Audi has cancelled its plans for the all-electric RS6 e-tron hyperwagon.
The Ingolstadt-based manufacturer claims its engineering team can’t build anything faster than the current 923-horsepower RS e-tron GT Performance. That’s the official reason for scrapping what would have been a twin-motor rival to the Tesla Model S Plaid and Lucid Air Sapphire.
But the real story is different.
Poor sales and weak demand for expensive, high-performance EVs drove the decision. The upcoming 641-horsepower Hyundai Ioniq 6 N is expected to cost between £65,000 and £70,000 – making Audi’s pricing look steep.
The RS e-tron GT Performance starts at £143,875.
Audi’s struggling 2024 sales numbers also influenced the cancellation. The brand saw deliveries drop 14% year-over-year, selling 196,576 cars globally compared to 228,550 the previous year, according to market data.
With the RS6 e-tron dead, the S6 e-tron remains the fastest A6 family member. Its dual-motor all-wheel drive quattro setup produces 543 horsepower and hits 0-62 mph in 3.9 seconds.
It’s not exactly affordable either.
The S6 e-tron Sportback starts at £98,315, while the larger S6 e-tron Avant wagon begins at £100,115.
Built on Premium Platform Electric
Audi built the S6 e-tron on its new Premium Platform Electric (PPE), co-developed with Porsche. The same architecture underpins the Porsche Macan EV and Audi Q6 e-tron SUVs.
PPE offers flexibility – single-motor rear-wheel drive or dual-motor AWD configurations.
The platform’s 800V architecture supports fast-charging speeds up to 270kW. That translates to 10-80% charging in about 20 minutes.
Had it reached production, the RS6 e-tron would have used PPE with Audi’s AWD quattro system. The dual-motor setup was targeting around 800 horsepower.
The cancellation comes as Audi refocuses on its core values of timeless design and premium interiors. This shift follows the launch of the PPE-based Audi Concept C, which previews the brand’s new design language and hints at an all-electric mid-size roadster scheduled for 2027.
