Audi electric cars: Every model explained

The Audi Q4 e-tron is the brand's smallest electric SUV, but don't mistake 'smallest' for 'small'. It's about the same size as the Audi Q3, which means there's more than enough room for family life. If you're shopping for your first electric Audi, this is a great place to start.

It looks smart without shouting about being electric, while the interior has exactly the sort of solid, beautifully assembled feel that Audi has built its reputation on. There's a generous 515-litre boot, too. For some visual context, the average washing machine requires about 300 litres of space.

Audi offers several Q4 e-trons, but we'd steer clear of the most expensive models unless you really need blistering acceleration. The entry-level versions are already plenty quick, while the longest-range ones manage more than 350 miles of claimed driving range, making this perfectly capable of longer journeys.

Underneath, the Audi Q4 Sportback e-tron is identical to the regular Q4 e-tron, but the roofline slopes away more dramatically at the back, giving the car a slightly sleeker profile, hence the Sportback name. Whether that's an improvement – or one worth paying about £1,900 extra for – is, of course, up to you.

The good news is that practicality hasn't suffered too much. Rear passengers lose a little headroom, but unless your family consists entirely of six-foot teenagers, they'll cope just fine. The boot is actually slightly larger than the regular Q4 e-tron's, too, gaining 12 litres of space at 527 litres. You probably didn’t expect that.

Like its boxier sibling, the Audi Q4 Sportback e-tron is quiet, refined and reassuringly easy to drive. It isn't trying to be an electric sports car, it’s a premium family car that happens to be an EV.

The Audi A6 Sportback e-tron isn't an electric version of the combustion-enngined A6 Saloon – instead it's underpinned by Audi's fancy new Premium Platform Electric. Audi has resisted the temptation to make it scream 'I’m an electric car!', instead, it’s a fairly conventional looking but sleek hatchback. It’s the sort of car that will still look classy in ten years' time.

Inside, things are a little more futuristic. A huge curved display dominates the dashboard, there's another touchscreen for the front passenger – giving them carte blanche to annoy you by changing the radio station – plus the overall quality is heftier than a star’s nucleus. It’s massive, too – properly spacious.

Depending on the model, the A6 Sportback e-tron can officially travel up to 469 miles on a charge – not quite as much as the latest BMW EVs, but still among the longest-range electric cars you can buy. And thanks to its ultra modern platform, find a suitably quick charger and 200 miles of range can be added in about ten minutes.

The Audi A6 Avant e-tron shares everything that makes the A6 Sportback e-tron brilliant: the same PPE platform, the same beautifully finished interior and the same impressive battery technology. The difference is at the back, where you'll find a 502-litre boot that expands to 1,422 litres with the rear seats folded.

More importantly, it doesn't feel like you're making any sacrifices. It's just as refined, just as comfortable and arguably better looking than the Sportback – better proportioned.

Claimed range stretches to 445 miles, making it one of those rare cars that can genuinely replace a diesel estate without demanding major lifestyle changes. That range is partly down to a very aerodynamic shape – believe it or not, the A6 Avant e-tron is the most slippery production car Audi has ever built. Specify the tiny rear-facing cameras instead of door mirrors for the least possible drag. They’re weird at first, but like having kids, you’ll eventually learn to put up with them.

If the Q4 e-tron is Audi's sensible family SUV, the Audi Q6 e-tron is the one people will aspire to own. Sitting neatly between the Q4 e-tron and Q8 in size, it introduces Audi's latest technology in a package that's practical enough for everyday life without feeling unnecessarily enormous.

It's also the first SUV to use Audi's PPE platform, bringing much faster charging, improved efficiency and a cabin that's a significant step forward from previous Audi EVs. The dashboard is dominated by three screens, including one just for the front passenger. Whether they'll use it to navigate or secretly watch Netflix is up to them.

The Q6 e-tron is wonderfully relaxing to drive. It doesn’t try to be sporty in the way BMWs tend to. Instead, it majors on refinement, comfort and a sense of being 'high-tech'. With up to 396 miles of claimed range and the ability to charge at up to 270kW, the Q6 e-tron is yet another significant argument against range anxiety. It's expensive, starting at £60,565, but you can see where the money has gone.

Take the impressive Q6 e-tron, slope the roof a bit more dramatically and you've got the Audi Q6 Sportback e-tron. It's an SUV for those people who don't want their car to look like an SUV. Even though it's still clearly an SUV.

But anyway, naturally there's a compromise. Rear headroom is tighter than the regular Q6 e-tron, although you'd need to be unusually tall before it becomes a genuine issue. The boot shrinks slightly too, from 526 litres to 511 litres – that's hardly disastrous, though, so it can still deal with the family holiday luggage without complaint.

Like the regular Q6 e-tron, the Sportback versions use Audi's latest PPE platform, so you get rapid 270kW charging and the claimed range climbs to a maximum of 407 miles in the most efficient versions. Bizzarely, it also costs more than the regular Q6 e-tron – and yes, you're paying largely for the way it looks. But unlike some SUV coupes, the compromises are surprisingly small. If you prefer your family SUV with a bit more visual flair, this is it.

Every manufacturer seems contractually obliged to prove that their electric SUVs can accelerate quicker than a middle class mum running to the Next sale. The Audi SQ6 e-tron is Audi's effort.

The SQ6 e-tron looks fairly restrained, but prod the accelerator and it'll hit 62mph from a standstill in 4.3 seconds, despite weighing roughly the same as a rugby squad’s lunch order. Fortunately, Audi hasn't forgotten that this is still a family SUV. The ride remains comfortable, the cabin is beautifully put together and there's enough room for five adults and all their luggage.

Still, it’s costly starting from just under £87,000 and the 517PS twin-motor setup means it’s not that efficient. So unless you’re really into having the quickest electric Audi SUV, we’d steer you towards the regular Q6 e-tron. It’s already more than quick enough and will go further on a charge.

Sibling to the Porsche Taycan, the Audi e-tron GT uses many of the same parts but puts them together in a way that forms a very different character. Like Moby’s cover of Enter Sandman by Metallica. The e-tron GT still… erm… rocks, though.

It’s quick, brilliant to drive yet still comfy and really practical despite looking like a supercar. Inside, it's more conventional than you might expect. Audi hasn't gone overboard with futuristic gimmicks, instead giving you a beautifully built cabin with excellent seats and easy-to-use tech. Albeit, the arrival of Audi’s latest stuff, especially the Q6 e-tron, has dated the GT’s interior somewhat.

The latest versions offer up to 385 miles of claimed range, while even the least powerful model has enough performance to catch you off guard. It's expensive, of course, but this is one of those rare electric cars that you can buy with your head and your heart. For £88,605 upwards. Oof!

And here’s the 'upwards' part: the Audi RS e-tron GT costs £126,475. At least.

It’s insanely quick, though, taking everything that's good about the standard e-tron GT and turning it up. The standard RS e-tron GT has just 857PS, but throw another £40k at Audi and the performance version is yours, giving you 925PS – and therefore the most powerful production Audi ever built. So far.

That translates into a 0-62mph time of just 2.5 seconds – the same time that made the Bugatti Veyron so famous back in 2005. Thankfully, Audi hasn't forgotten this car's GT character. It's still wonderfully refined on a long journey, the cabin remains beautifully made and the ride is surprisingly forgiving considering the performance. It's less shouty than many supercars, too, which somehow makes it even cooler.