Audi has revealed a new variant for its Q6 SUV e-tron line-up ahead of the official market launch in August.

The Q6 SUV e-tron performance will deliver more efficiency and range

The Q6 SUV e-tron performance will join the Q6 e-tron quattro and SQ6 e-tron quattro versions already on sale, providing more efficiency and range.

Premiered in March, the Q6 SUV e-tron marks the start of a new generation of electrically powered vehicles at Audi.

Delivering a rival to the BMW iX3, it’s built on a new PPE (Premium Platform Electric) platform and initially available as the Q6 SUV e-tron quattro with 388hp and the SQ6 SUV e-tron with 490hp, rising to 517hp with launch control engaged.

These have electric ranges of 381 and 358 miles respectively from a newly developed 100kWh lithium-ion battery and are priced at £68,975 and £92,950.

The new variant uses the same battery but switches to a rear-wheel drive set-up to aid efficiency. The 306hp motor enables a 0-62mph sprint in 6.7 seconds. When launch control is engaged, the system power output increases to 326hp and the 0-62mph time is 6.6 seconds.

It also delivers a WLTP range of up to 392 miles on a single charge – among the best in its class according to Audi – and is priced from £63,475 in Sport trim. Aimed at customers looking for “an extended electric range, dynamic performance, and suitability for everyday use with brief charging stops”, it will start UK sales later in the summer.

Later in the summer, an entry-level variant called Q6 SUV e-tron, also featuring rear-wheel drive, will be added to the line-up. Priced from £59,975, this will use a smaller 83kWh battery pack.