Skip to main content

You’ll have to move to China if you want to buy Audi’s 100-mpg A6 L e-tron

Audi has big plans for the upcoming Shanghai Motor Show. The company will introduce a new concept car called prologue allroad, and it will launch an e-tron-badged version of the A6 L that promises to return better gas mileage than any hybrid currently sold in the United States.

Don’t run down to your local Audi dealership quite yet, the A6 L e-tron was developed exclusively for the Chinese market. Starting with a locally-built long-wheelbase A6, engineers have shoehorned an advanced gasoline-electric plug-in hybrid drivetrain made up of a 2.0-liter TFSI four-cylinder engine that provides 211 horsepower and 258 foot-pounds of torque and a disc-shaped electric motor that adds 122 ponies and, more importantly, 258 foot-pounds of instant twist. The motor is built into a hybrid-specific eight-speed tiptronic gearbox

When all is said and done, the hybrid drivetrain generates a total of 245 horsepower and 368 foot-pounds of torque, enough to send the roughly 4,400-pound A6 from zero to 62 mph in 8.4 seconds and on to a top speed of 130 mph. The A6 L can drive on electricity alone for a little over 30 miles at speeds of up to 84 mph. Alternatively, it returns a jaw-dropping 106.9 mpg in a mixed Chinese cycle, a figure that makes it one of the most efficient regular-production sedans that Audi has ever offered by a long shot.

The visual differences between the e-tron and the standard A6 L are largely limited to new multi-spoke alloy wheels, a redesigned lower bumper up front and model-specific emblems on both ends. Similarly, the cockpit is largely standard A6 L fare save for a revised instrument cluster that provides vital information about the hybrid drivetrain.

Built in China, the 2016 Audi A6 L will go on sale early next year. At the time of writing Audi is not planning on offering the sedan in the United States or in Europe.

Interestingly, Audi is not the only European manufacturer that is preparing to introduce a long-wheelbase plug-in hybrid sedan designed only for China. Volvo recently unveiled the S60L Twin Engine, a highly efficient version of the stretched S60 that can drive on electricity alone for up to 32 miles.

Ronan Glon
Ronan Glon is an American automotive and tech journalist based in southern France. As a long-time contributor to Digital…
Waymo recalled 1,200 robotaxis following collisions with road barriers
Waymo Jaguar I-Pace

Waymo’s autonomous-car technology has made great advances over the years to the point where it’s now allowed to offer paid robotaxi rides in select locations in the U.S.

But the development of the technology is ongoing, and the robotaxi rides continue to gather valuable data for Waymo engineers to pore over as they further refine the driverless system to make it as reliable and efficient as possible. Which is why glitches will sometimes occur.

Read more
Apple CarPlay Ultra looks stunning in Aston Martin supercar debut
Apple CarPlay Ultra

Apple CarPlay Ultra is the next generation of the Cupertino, California-based firm's smartphone projection system for your car, and it's available in new vehicles in the US and Canada.

When we say "new cars", your options are very much limited to one brand... Aston Martin. So you'll need deep pockets if you want to experience CarPlay Ultra for yourself.

Read more
Archer’s flying taxis head to LA for the 2028 Olympics
archer air taxi la28 inglewood aerial a final

Remember the buzz about flying taxis zipping through Paris for the 2024 Olympics? That sci-fi fantasy never got off the ground —Germany’s Volocopter dream was denied certification, leaving fans staring at the same old ground traffic. But now, the skies are opening again for a second shot at glory—this time over Los Angeles.
Archer Aviation, the California-based electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) company, has been named the exclusive air taxi provider for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Archer’s Midnight aircraft, a piloted electric air taxi designed to carry four passengers, will be whisking around VIPs, fans, and stakeholders between venues and key locations like LAX, Hollywood, Santa Monica, and even Orange County. Think 10-20 minute flights that skip the infamous LA gridlock and land you right where the action is—on the roof, basically.
“We want to transform the way people get around Los Angeles and leave a legacy that shapes the future of transportation in America. There’s no better time to do that than during the LA28 Games,” said Adam Goldstein, CEO and founder of Archer Aviation.
And Midnight isn’t just a pretty rotor. It’s a whisper-quiet, emission-light aircraft with 12 rotors and a redundant, airline-level safety design.
What’s more, Archer and LA28 are working together to electrify vertiport hubs around the city—think futuristic sky stations—to serve not only Games-time needs but also to plant seeds for a post-Olympic air mobility network.
The air mobility market has been fast developing over the past few years, featuring the likes of Hyundai partnership with China’s XPeng HT Aero and Toyota's backing of Joby Aviation, a U.S. venture. Joby bought Uber Elevate in 2020, hoping to someday pair its air taxis with Uber’s ride-hailing app.
Archer, for its part, has been busy building a strategic partnership with United Airlines, which has already placed orders for the aircraft and is helping with logistics to integrate air taxis into airport-to-downtown travel. More than a demo for the cameras, the LA28 partnership will showcase urban air travel for real-world daily use, starting with one of the most high-profile events on Earth.
After raising false hopes in Paris, the air taxi dream is aiming for liftoff in LA—and this time, it might just stick the landing.

Read more