If it looks familiar, it’s because it is
Audi has unveiled a refreshed version of its first electric vehicle, the e-tron, with upgraded powertrains across the board and a new Q8 e-tron moniker.
The new name is intended to position the e-tron (introduced in 2018) as Audi’s flagship electric SUV while the increase in battery and charging performance is aimed at addressing the shortcomings of the model’s older Volkswagen Group MLB platform.
It is expected that the newly-renamed Q8 e-tron SUV and Sportback will sit in Audi’s range as electric counterparts to the larger combustion-powered Q8.
From the outside, not a huge amount has changed in the transition from e-tron to Q8 e-tron, with little more than a light restyle of the front and rear.
The aerodynamics of both SUV and Sportback models have been improved, however, with new front spoilers helping to divert air around the front wheels and new automatic grille shutters to reduce drag, thereby making the Q8 e-tron more efficient and boosting its range.
Three models make up the revised Q8 e-tron line-up: the base Q8 50 e-tron, mid-tier Q8 55 and the high-spec SQ8.
The performance figures for the Q8 50 e-tron broadly represent an improvement over the outgoing version, powered as it is by a 95kWh (gross) battery pack that enables the two electric motors to send a total maximum of 335bhp and 490lb ft of torque to all four wheels.
That powertrain also gives the base model Q8 e-tron SUV a range of up to 281 miles — or 290 miles in the sleeker Sportback — with charging up to 150kW possible at a suitable DC outlet.
Both the Q8 e-tron 55 and SQ8 receive a larger 114kWh battery pack, and in the 55 it’s a similar story to the 50 with maximums of 402bhp and 490lb ft of torque generated by two motors, though the larger battery gives considerably more distance between charges: a WLTP range of 330 miles for the SUV and 343 miles for the Sportback.
Another revision for the Q8 e-tron is a new rear motor with two extra electrical coils (a total of 14) that allow the motor to develop more torque with less input making it more efficient.
Rather than the dual motors of the 50 and 55 models, the top-of-the-line SQ8 model is driven by three motors, with a 166bhp unit up front and a pair of 131bhp motors turning each of the rear wheels to develop a total of 496bhp and 718lb ft of torque. This model was previously badged e-tron S.
Due to the increased performance, the range suffers slightly compared to its dual-motor counterparts, with 284 miles between recharging stops for the SUV and 295 miles for the Sportback.
Both the SQ8 and Q8 55 can be charged at a maximum of 170kW at a DC charger.
Not a great deal else has changed under the Q8 e-tron’s skin with only small tweaks to the car’s air suspension, stability control and steering geared towards making the refreshed model feel that bit more poised while cornering.
The interior is largely the same as before with two main displays — a 10.1in upper and 8.6in lower screen — replacing most of the buttons and knobs.
As befitting the Q8 e-tron’s eco-credentials, strong use is made inside of recycled materials with much of the insulation and carpeting constructed from recycled plastic bottles, while the microfibre Dinamica trim is also made from similarly reappropriated materials.
Full UK pricing and specifications for the Q8 e-tron have yet to be confirmed, with the updated model due to go on sale from mid-November and deliveries expected in April 2023.
- After reading about the new Audi Q8 e-tron, you may also like to check out all the car makers’ electric vehicle plans
- You might also be interested in a review of the 2022 Audi A8
- Make sure you check out the massive Audi Urbansphere concept car
Keyword: Audi e-tron becomes the Q8 e-tron with an extended range of up to 343 miles