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In the middle of summer vacation

At nine in the morning, we get into the Audi in Hellendoorn. The suitcases lie neatly in the boot – 500 liters for the Avant, enough for a family vacation and more than enough for the cameraman and author. Via Deventer, Apeldoorn and Arnhem, we descend toward the south. It is July 31, the middle of the summer vacations, and half of the Netherlands is on its way to southern Europe. Fortunately, there are no traffic jams for the time being. Via Roermond and Maastricht, we cross the border into Belgium.

At 130 to 140 km/h on the odometer, the A6 E-Tron whizzes quietly and smoothly over the Belgian asphalt. That’s pretty clever, considering the state of the road network of our southern neighbors. What about the range of the new Audi? In the Netherlands, we easily reach 600 kilometers on a full battery in the days before departure. At this higher rate abroad, you have to count on about 400 to 450 kilometers. Neat score – a few years ago EVs could only dream of this and the advice was often not to drive faster than 100 km/h. With the A6 E-Tron, you can feel free to set the cruise control to 130 km/h.

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First stop in the Ardennes

After some 350 kilometers, we reach the Belgian Ardennes. The battery still has about 150 kilometers of power left, but after four hours of driving we want to stretch our legs. This will happen more often: we are more tired than the car. We stop at Fastned in Baraque de Fraiture, a high-altitude town in the Ardennes. While we grab coffee, the Audi charges from about 25% to 85% in about seventeen minutes. Even before the cappuccino is finished, the car is ready to leave.

France in

Through Luxembourg, we drive into France. First Metz appears along the route, then Nancy. After about 400 kilometers at high speed, it is again time to recharge. We park next to a row of Ionity chargers and can get on the cable right away. No queues, no stress – remarkable, since it is high season. France, meanwhile, is superbly prepared for electric drivers. There are fast-charging stations every 20 to 40 kilometers, often with ten or twenty chargers.

Important detail to remember: charging at a fast charger is usually smarter in France than at a regular AC pole. Prices are often the same or even lower at a quick charger and you avoid the high penalty rates that sometimes regular poles charge if you stay plugged in too long. Sometimes after as little as two or three hours, leaving you paying an unnoticed fifty or hundred euros extra. So fast charging is not only faster, but also clearer in terms of price and therefore often just as expensive. Charging from an AC pole at a campsite or hotel can also be quite expensive, so even then it is better to charge DC than AC.

Lyon

Early in the evening we roll into Lyon. As always, it is crowded around the city. So far, we like the Audi very much. The suspension feels tight yet comfortable, and the silence in the cabin is almost salutary. Even at 130 km/h, you can still whisper to each other.

The hotel we booked has a fast charger and secure parking lot – a conscious choice. While we go to dinner, the battery fills to one hundred percent in two hours. Ready for the next day.

The final stage

The next morning we get in the car rested. Another three and a half hours or so to Montpellier. The sun is high above the Rhone Valley, the optional panoramic roof with nine so-called smart glass segments filters the light at the touch of a button, and the air conditioning keeps the cabin pleasantly cool. The miles glide by and around lunch we arrive at Fastned in Montpellier. Without charging stress, without delay.

Conclusion

Hellendoorn – Montpellier in fourteen hours, in the middle of the summer vacations, that’s neat. Not counting the overnight stay, of course. With a petrol car the trip would have taken just as long, unless you don’t have a bladder. So a fine score for the Audi. The excellent French charging network also helps, of course. Those looking for an electric mile-eater can without a doubt put the A6 E-Tron high on their list.

More about the car itself

The Audi A6 E-Tron Avant Performance we drive has the largest battery: 95 kWh net. With that it can get up to 720 kilometers on paper (the sedan even 750). In practice in the Netherlands, you should therefore count on about 500 to 600 kilometers, and 400 to 500 if you are allowed to go faster at night. Fast charging is possible with up to 270 kW, good for 310 kilometers extra in ten minutes. The smaller 79 kWh battery also goes a long way: 625 kilometers, with a charging rate of up to 225 kW.

In terms of engines, there is a choice: rear-wheel drive with 210 kW (286 hp) or 270 kW (367 hp) (Performance), or Quattro with at least 315 kW (428 hp). The S version even delivers 370 kW (503 hp) and sprints to 100 km/h in 3.9 seconds. Our Performance with 270 kW (367 hp) does so in 5.4 seconds – more than enough to brave French highways at high speed.

Summer vacation with electric Audi A6 E-Tron – 1300 kilometers ROADTRIP