Audi Q6 e-tron platform innovations: ingenious simplicity, 800-volt fast charging and intelligent temperature control | Business

The Q6 e-tron perfectly reveals the possibilities of the new PPE platform. A range of up to 625 km on a single charge is an impressive result, but that alone is not enough.

Electric car, Audi/Electric car “Audi Q6 e-tron”

When driving an electric car every day, the ability to quickly charge its battery is also extremely important for users. A 10-minute charge is enough to cover a distance of 255 km.

If there are fast charging stations on the planned route, such charging ensures exceptional travel comfort. In this way, Audi continues to promote the advancement of electric vehicle technology and at the same time offers a new generation of e-cars suitable for not even the most demanding users. mobility solutions”, says Ilgvars Lubka, head of the Audi brand in Lithuania and Latvia.

The battery structure of the Audi Q6 e-tron, built from scratch, has been optimized to the maximum. Only twelve modules are used, with a total capacity of 180 cells and a total capacity of 100 kWh (net capacity of 94.9 kWh). The maximum charging power when connected to a suitable fast charging station can reach as much as 270 kW. The optimal chemical composition of the individual cells and effective temperature control allowed to achieve exceptional charging speed – energy reserves from 10 to 80 percent. can be refilled in 21 minutes.

800 volt technology is the charging standard of the future

Audi’s commitment to offer customers the most advanced e- mobility solutions are best confirmed by the 800-volt charging technology used in the new PPE platform. The transition from 400-volt equipment to a more advanced system in the electric car market is just beginning, and Audi has become one of the first brands in Europe to make the necessary investments. The perspective of such a solution is clear – with the rapid expansion of the fast charging infrastructure, electric cars equipped with 800-volt charging systems will gain an obvious advantage.

Electric car, Audi/Electric car “Audi Q6 e-tron”

The biggest advantage of 800 volt technology for the user is faster charging speed. The reason for this is simple: a higher voltage for the same amount of current allows for a higher charging power. It is the current strength that determines the heating of the wires and causes the most problems for both electric car manufacturers and charging network developers. Higher voltage systems allow for higher charging power while avoiding extremely expensive cooling solutions.

Audi’s 800-volt system allowed thinner wiring and smaller electrical components. All this reduced the weight and production cost of the electric drive. Lower amperage also reduced energy loss when electricity is converted to heat, increasing drive efficiency.

The biggest drawback of the 800-volt electrical system in electric cars until now has been the need to use current converters to charge the battery at 400-volt stations. Audi engineers ingeniously solved this problem by introducing split charging for the first time in the new Q6 e-tron. When connected to a 400-volt station, the 800-volt battery is automatically divided into two batteries of the same voltage, each of which can be charged with a power of up to 135 kW.

The temperature is also regulated according to the navigation data
The impressive fast charging parameters of the Audi Q6 e-tron are also made possible by the intelligent cooling system of the new generation, which also ensures the longevity of the battery. The most important improvement is the predictive temperature control based on navigation data, which evaluates not only the route information, but also the start time of the trip and the driver’s habits. According to this, the cooling or heating of the battery is planned in advance.

The advantages of intelligent temperature regulation are most apparent when approaching a charging station included in the route. Predictive temperature control cools or warms the battery in advance, preparing it for fast charging at maximum power. Such a solution allows to shorten the charging time even more.

However, such equipment is useful in various situations. For example, if there is a hill on the route, this system can pre-optimally cool the high-voltage battery and prevent it from overheating.
Audi’s intelligent temperature control is also flexible. Without the user providing information to predict the need for cooling or heating in advance, the temperature of the high-voltage battery is controlled by a standard algorithm. True, even in this case, the system collects trip data and reacts to driving conditions. For example, after choosing the economic mode, the battery cooling is activated later, but depending on the load, it can be changed at any time.

Ingeniously simplified structure

The battery for the new PPE platform consists of twelve modules that hold a total of 180 prism-shaped cells. By comparison, the previous generation battery used in the Q8 e-tron has 36 modules and 432 cells.

The smaller number of battery modules in the PPE platform offers various advantages. First of all, the battery is easy to fit, regardless of the structure of the car’s bottom. This is important because all new generation Audi electric cars will be built on this platform. In addition, it takes up less space and can be more easily integrated into a passive safety design. It also simplified the installation of the cooling system.

Reducing the number of modules also reduced the total length of cables used and the number of high voltage connections. There are even fewer mounting screws in this battery than Audi used until now. In addition, the connections between the modules were shortened, which allowed not only to reduce energy losses, but also the overall weight of the battery.

Innovation can be found in other areas as well. For example, the ratio of nickel, cobalt and manganese in the cells of the new battery is approximately 8:1:1. The amount of cobalt was reduced and the amount of nickel was increased. This change allowed for a higher energy density.