German carmaker Audi recently revealed its latest electric sports utility vehicle (SUV), the Audi Q6 e-tron, at a press conference held at the company’s headquarters in Ingolstadt, Germany, with South Korean media. “South Korea has strong information technology (IT) capabilities. Korean consumers, in particular, have a high demand for new technologies and digitalization and are very receptive to these innovations,” said Christian Steinhorst, Product Manager of the Q6 e-tron.
“Korea is an important market for us, and we are in close communication with Audi Korea to understand consumer needs,” he added.
The Q6 e-tron is the first model on Audi’s Premium Platform Electric (PPE), a modular car platform for electric vehicles. With PPE, the model improved power performance by 30% compared to previous models. “The Q6 e-tron is also the first to integrate the AI chatbot ChatGPT,” Steinhorst said. “With advanced driver assistance systems and additional displays for passengers, this model is designed to meet the high demands of Korean consumers.”
The Q6 e-tron’s standout feature is the addition of ChatGPT. During the demonstration, when the driver mentioned, “It’s hot in here,” the air conditioner automatically lowered the temperature. When inquiries were made about restaurants or people, ChatGPT immediately provided the information, marking a significant advancement in in-car AI assistance. Previous voice recognition services had only responded to specific commands.
“ChatGPT is capable of managing over 800 functions within the car,” said Steinhorst. “With future applications and updates, this number can increase, and the system will not only respond to commands but also offer proactive suggestions through continuous learning.”
The Q6 e-tron comes with a 14.5-inch central display, a 11.9-inch instrument cluster, and a 10.9-inch passenger screen for watching YouTube videos or playing games.
Under the hood, the Q6 e-tron is powered by two electric motors, one at the front and one at the rear, each operating at 800 volts, resulting in a combined output of 388 horsepower (PS) in Europe. It can accelerate from a standstill to 100 kilometers per hour in 5.9 seconds. The car uses a 100 kWh lithium-ion battery pack, providing a driving range of over 483 kilometers on a single charge, according to U.S. EPA standards. Fast charging enables the battery to charge from 10% to 80% in just 21 minutes.
The Q6 e-tron measures 4,771 mm in length with a wheelbase of 2,899 mm, offering a spacious and well-proportioned interior. The trunk provides 526 liters of space in the rear and an additional 64 liters in the front. Audi Korea is currently in the process of certifying the Q6 e-tron, with plans to launch early next year.
