Audi Goes the Distance
One of the most crucial specifications buyers look for in electric vehicles is range, particularly for prospective first-time EV owners who may still be dealing with range anxiety. Audi has a strong example with the A6 Sportback e-tron, which recently stretched its WLTP-rated range by more than 70%. More importantly, the run secured a Guinness World Record for the longest journey by an electric car on a single charge.
That means the A6 e-tron beat the previous record holder, the Lucid Air Grand Touring, which clocked 749 miles on a single charge. The Audi EV managed to cover 1,338 km (831 miles), significantly higher than its WLTP-rated range of 777 km (483 miles), though it is worth noting that WLTP figures tend to be higher than EPA estimates used in the U.S. Nonetheless, receiving a Guinness World Record gives Audi some bragging rights that could also help attract EV buyers looking for models that can go long without charging as often.
Designed to Slip By
The vehicle used in the record-setting run was the rear-wheel-drive A6 Sportback e-tron performance, equipped with a single motor producing 367 horsepower. Power is drawn from a battery with 94.9 kWh of usable capacity, and the EV posted an energy consumption figure of just 7.09 kWh per 100 km (11.41 kWh/100 miles or about 295 MPGe). The record car also has a drag coefficient of just 0.21, making it the most aerodynamic Audi yet and one of the slipperiest cars on the market.
Audi also offers an all-wheel-drive Quattro version, but that configuration likely would’ve posted a lower figure given the additional front motor and associated AWD hardware, which add weight and driveline losses.
The run was conducted on public roads rather than a closed circuit to inflate the final range figure. The Audi EV achieved the record while driving through regular traffic across Poland along the Vistula River. European rally champion Miko Marczyk was the man behind the wheel and shared some tips on how to maximize range.
These tips include understanding a car’s characteristics, drive modes, systems, and behavior; using the correct tire pressure to reduce rolling resistance; driving smoothly; and reading the road to avoid unnecessary acceleration and abrupt braking. Marczyk also said to make the best possible use of regenerative braking, which, in the A6 e-tron, can handle around 95% of braking events in everyday driving and reach regenerative braking power of up to 220 kW.
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Range Sells
With Audi’s future EV rollout facing delays, the new Guinness World Record should give the brand some welcome publicity. The record could also give the A6 e-tron another talking point against rivals, including the BMW i5 and Mercedes-Benz EQE sedan.
In the U.S., the 2027 A6 Sportback e-tron starts at $66,700 for the rear-wheel-drive version. The Quattro version adds just $2,000 to the starting MSRP and boosts output to 456 horsepower with launch control, enabling a 0-to-60-mph sprint in 4.3 seconds.
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