Epic electric off-road concept shows the future of 4WDs with rigid portal axles, more than 13,000Nm and enough power to rival a V8 Toyota LandCruiser, Nissan Patrol and Land Rover Defender

Electric off-road SUVs don’t have to be spiritless, according to Audi.

At least that’s the gist of its recently-unveiled Q6 e-Tron off-roader concept that the brand is calling a “highly emotive” reimagining of Quattro, which is Audi-speak for its trademark four-wheel drive system.

Poised as a potential vehicle in Audi’s future line-up, the concept EV could be unlike anything we have seen from the brand before, should it make production.

Its 160mm lift and 250mm wider track compared to a regular Q6 e-tron make it look more like a monster truck rather than a luxury European SUV, while its Audi-developed portal axles give it genuine off-road ability.

In fact, Audi said the prototype can comfortably climb gradients of up to 100 per cent — or 45 degrees — a feat typically reserved for souped-up V8 off-roaders such as the Toyota LandCruiser 70 Series, Nissan Patrol Warrior and Land Rover Defender Octa.

According to Audi, its off-road capability is a product of its powerful, fully-electric dual-motor powertrain, which delivers a total output of 380kW.

In addition, Audi’s house-made portal axles enable a claimed power increase of 20 to 30 per cent to each wheel, while increasing available torque at the wheel by 50 per cent.

Unlike regular axles, portal axles are integrated into the wheel hub assembly and are offset from the centre of the wheel to enable significantly more ground clearance.

That means Audi had to fully rework the pre-existing suspension links from the Q6 e-tron, the SUV on which the concept is based.

The result is a combined maximum torque to all four wheels over a 10-second peak is quoted by Audi at a staggering 13,400Nm, an increase of 4400Nm from the regular Q6 e-tron.

Given the Q6 e-tron serves as the basis for the off-road concept, it too is built on Audi’s all-new Premium Platform Electric (PPE) modular EV platform, which it jointly developed alongside Porsche.

The idea behind the Q6 e-tron off-road concept is to prove how versatile the PPE platform can be, and with a gaping void left by the departure of the A4 and A6 Allroad from the brand's line-up, it suggests Audi is genuinely serious about future off-roaders.