Audi Pulls the Plug on Electric RS 6 Avant, Keeps the Legend Alive with Hybrid Power
The dream of an all-electric RS 6 Avant has come to an abrupt halt. Despite reaching road-testing stage, Audi has axed the project, citing weak demand in the EV market. Enthusiasts can take comfort, however, in knowing that the RS 6 will live on in the next generation—powered not by silence, but by a hybrid V8.
For years, speculation swirled around an RS 6 Avant joining Audi’s growing A6 e-tron lineup. By 2023, masked prototypes of the high-performance wagon were already racking up test mileage on public roads. Now, multiple reports confirm the project has been shelved, with investments written off.
Audi certainly had the technical ability to create an ultra-fast electric estate. But executives concluded that the business case simply did not add up: the model would appeal to too few buyers to justify the costs, and might even alienate the brand’s most loyal RS 6 fans.
That does not spell the end of the RS 6 Avant itself. On the contrary, a new generation is already in the works, expected to feature a hybrid drivetrain. Test mules spotted in recent months are believed to be running Volkswagen Group’s latest V8-hybrid powertrain—the same unit delivering up to 782 horsepower in Bentley’s range-toppers and Porsche’s flagship Panamera.
Meanwhile, Audi is not abandoning electric performance altogether. A new EV sports car, derived from the Concept C study, is slated for 2027. It will debut experimental features such as a “virtual gearbox” and synthetic soundscapes designed to evoke the visceral feel of a combustion-powered machine.
So while an electric RS 6 Avant remains a dream deferred, the real RS 6 endures: a snarling, practical performance wagon that continues to evolve while staying true to its soul.
