The Q6 e-tron offroad concept is an Audi that’s ready for anything. An EV with an extra 6 inches of ground clearance, portal axles, and some massive tow hooks on the front and rear bumpers. This is an Audi that could give any Jeep a run for its money crawling over rocks and then absolutely destroy it when it’s time to head back into town.
Sure, Audi has done off-roading before. The original Quattro rally cars were legends. Audi has a long history at Dakar, too, even winning with a range-extended electric rig in 2024. This, though? This is a whole new ballgame.
50% More Torque From New-Design Portals
Start with the portal axles. The tall hubs that separate the axle shaft from the center of the wheel to give a vehicle more ground clearance for nearly every single component, not just the body.
The gears in portal axles, as you might find on a custom-built off-road racing rig, multiply torque to the wheels. It’s not normally a large amount, but an extra 20-30% is nothing to sneeze at.
For the Audi Q6 e-tron offroad, the German luxury car company designed a new kind from scratch. These portals multiply torque by 50%, boosting maximum wheel output to 9,883 pound-feet for the 10 seconds of overboost that the EV’s computers allow.
Do some math, and the portals boost the Q6 e-tron’s 631 pound-feet to 934 pound-feet — without changing so much as a winding in the motors.
The total increase in ground clearance is 6.3 inches, and Audi has redeveloped the suspension to handle it. Then, it pushed the wheels outward, adding 9.8 inches of total width. Matte black fender flares give it a serious look and cover the studded mud-terrain tires to keep them road-legal.
The Q6 e-tron offroad concept is a reinterpretation of quattro. The model shows the potential that our platform for all electric vehicles already has today. This vehicle can claim new ground. We look forward to seeing our customers’ reactions to this highly emotive car.
— Audi CEO Gernot Döllner
Is Audi Planning On Building This Beast?
