Remember the 2013 Audi A6 hybrid? The Audi A6 hybrid arrived in Malaysia in 2013 with much fanfare because of its ‘special’ selling price. This fully imported 2-liter hybrid sedan had a selling price of just RM288,000.00. Yes, this was the first luxury hybrid sedan to get the full eco-friendly tax exemption from the government. The reason for this tax exemption was simple.
Unlike all the other luxury hybrids that were selling in the market, this Audi A6 used a tax breaking engine, a 1984cc petrol engine. This was an under 2-liter engine which is the government ruling for a tax break on hybrid cars. BMW, Mercedes, Infiniti and even Lexus luxury sedans at the time had larger petrol engines and so they did not qualify for the ‘special’ tax exemption. They only got a special small ‘energy efficient vehicle’ tax allowance.
At the time, BMW and Mercedes-Benz both had hybrid-powered versions of the 5 Series and E-Class, however the ActiveHybrid 5 nor the E 300 BlueTEC Hybrid had a sub-2,000cc petrol driven engine to qualify them for tax exemptions like with this Audi A6 Hybrid.
So, there were at the time 2,000 ‘lucky’ buyers who managed to get their hands on this high specification A6 hybrid and now, some 6 years later there are some owner worried about their hybrid battery pack. First thing to note is this. The Audi A6 hybrid has 3 batteries. The standard battery in the engine bay, another small battery to store energy for the AC/DC converter and then the hybrid battery pack itself sitting under the boot floor.
To date, Euromobil (brand guardian of Audi in Malaysia) has not had to replace a single lithium-ion battery system in the Audi A6 Hybrid. There have been some warranty claims for the AC/DC convertor and also the air-conditioning system which is rather expensive.
The suggested retail price for the lithium-ion battery system sitting in the boot is RM108,000 and the AC/DC convertor is RM90,000. Audi AG is working with Euromobil to ensure a better pricing is awarded to all 2,000 A6 Hybrid owners as long as they service and maintain their cars completely at Euromobil service centers. The discount that is offered varies according to age and usage but we have been ‘whispered’ a possible 50-60% discount is possible.
This A6 is 4.92 meters long and 1.87 meters wide. Thanks to an intelligent composite construction concept, the body is extremely lightweight, rigid and safe. The numerous aluminum components and the high-tech steels are the backbone of Audi’s consistent ultra-lightweight design concept and lower the body’s weight. This A6 hybrid has a curb weight of just 1,540 kg.
Under the hood of this A6 hybrid is where the magic lies. It uses an efficient parallel hybrid concept: Its combustion engine, a 211bhp 2.0 TFSI, works together with an electric motor that delivers 54bhp and 211 Nm of torque. The electric motor sits directly behind the TFSI, occupying the space of the torque converter upstream of the modified 8-speed tiptronic gearbox. The transmission sends torque to the front wheels.
Combined with the 54hp and 211Nm supplied by the electric motor, the powertrain’s net system output is rated at 245hp and 480Nm.
A crash-protected area of the luggage compartment houses a light, compact lithium-ion battery that provides 1.3 kWh of nominal power and generates 39 kW. Depending on requirements, it is air-cooled in two ways, by means of a blower from the interior or by means of an internal refrigerant circuit coupled to the automatic air conditioning system. This technology largely maintains the rechargeable battery within the appropriate temperature range, thereby ensuring that the vehicle operates on electric power a comparatively large percentage of the time.
The Audi A6 hybrid can achieve speeds of up to 100km/h purely on electricity; at a constant speed of 60km/h, it has a range of 30km when new and as the years progress this range reduces. It can also operate with the combustion engine only or in hybrid mode; in the deceleration phases, it recovers power and activates both the engine and the electric motor together when accelerating quickly. Special indicators on the instrument cluster and on the MMI monitor provide of detailed display of the different driving conditions.
The Audi A6 hybrid provides the power of a V6, combined with the fuel efficiency of a 4-cylinder engine. It accelerates in 7.3 seconds from zero to 100km/h, top speed is 238km/h and the average fuel consumption is only 6.2liters per 100 km, a CO2 emissions level of 142 grams per km (228.53 g/mile).
2013 Audi A6 Hybrid Specifications
Engine: 4 Cylinder Direct Injection Turbo
Capacity: 1984cc
Gearbox: 8-speed Tiptronic
Max power: 211bhp @ 4300-6500rpm
Max torque: 350Nm @ 1500-4200rpm
Top Speed: 240km/h as tested
0-100 km/h: 7.5secs
Selling Price: NEW RM288,000.00. Today RM65,000-RM120,000
Hi Daniel,
Great articles on replacement battery cost. These information will account for greater considerations when buying these types of vehicles, especially used ones. I hope you will publish a similar one for the 2015 Camry hybrid in the near future. Thanks.