The Audi e-tron has come in for a name change and a massive upgrade to keep the large SUV competitive in a fast-changing EV landscape
- How much does the Audi Q8 e-tron cost?
- What equipment comes with the Audi Q8 e-tron?
- How safe is the Audi Q8 e-tron?
- What technology does the Audi Q8 e-tron feature?
- What powers the Audi Q8 e-tron?
- How far can the Audi Q8 e-tron go on a charge?
- What is the Audi Q8 e-tron like to drive?
- What is the Audi Q8 e-tron like inside?
- Should I buy an Audi Q8 e-tron?
Gone are the days when a mid-life facelift meant a mild nip and tuck, a fresh set of alloys and a modest bump in power. Today, a mid-cycle update can prove to be a big exercise for car-makers, especially in the fast-paced world of EVs. Witness the Audi e-tron, which was only launched in 2019 but now, to keep it competitive against newer rivals, it’s received a serious amount of work. Due in Australia next year, the renamed Audi Q8 e-tron and SQ8 e-tron feature new batteries, overhauled suspension and steering, and aero-honed front and rear styling revisions. The result is an all-electric SUV that’s far more efficient and one that can finally cover up to 600km between top-ups. Is it enough to keep Audi’s pioneering EV relevant? Let’s find out…
How much does the Audi Q8 e-tron cost?
Currently, the 2022 Audi e-tron is priced from $147,400 plus on-road costs for the e-tron 55, and $166,900 plus ORCs for the faster e-tron S.
Audi Australia says it’s too early for indicative pricing for the renamed 2023 Audi Q8 e-tron range, and that we’ll have to wait until closer to its mid-2023 arrival.
Other unknowns include whether the more rakish Sportback body style will be offered alongside the regular SUV and how many variants will be available Down Under.
There’s a strong case for the base Q8 50 e-tron to be offered here, providing a more attractive price point for buyers considering the switch to an all-electric large luxury SUV.
As is the case now, the Audi Q8 e-tron and SQ8 e-tron will be protected by a five-year/unlimited-kilometre factory warranty that extends to eight years/160,000km for the battery.
Service intervals are set at every two years or 30,000km, whichever comes first, but specific details on aftersales arrangements are still to be confirmed, such as whether the current six-year offer of free servicing continues. Ditto for the six-year Chargefox public charging subscription.
What equipment comes with the Audi Q8 e-tron?
Local specification for the 2023 Audi Q8 e-tron will also be released closer to launch, but it’s fair to assume that when it lands it will continue to be among the best-equipped in class.
Like the current Audi e-tron, all models will come with the brand’s familiar virtual cockpit and two large HD displays in the centre console – a 10.1-inch infotainment unit sitting above a smaller 8.6-inch screen that operates the climate control.
The latest system can also be operated using natural speech voice control.
The same system works with wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, while standard wireless phone charging is also provided.
As part of the mid-life overhaul, there’s new carpet made from recycled materials, a decorative inlay formed from recycled plastic bottles and a new Dinamica and artificial suede option that looks and feels like the real thing but, again, has been created using reclaimed materials.
Even the most affordable model rides on large 20-inch alloy wheels and comes with air suspension, adaptive cruise control, 360-degree cameras, Matrix LED headlights and an electric tailgate that can be opened by waving your foot beneath it.
The SQ8 e-tron (which replaces the e-tron S) has a more aggressive stance, made obvious by 22mm-wider wheel-arches that house 21-inch Audi Sport alloy wheels.
Inside there’s a sportier steering wheel, more supportive sports seats and different displays for the both the dash and infotainment system.
How safe is the Audi Q8 e-tron?
The 2023 Audi Q8 e-tron hasn’t been tested by Euro NCAP, and it’s not yet clear whether the independent safety authority – and its Australian affiliate ANCAP – will stick with the five-star rating awarded to the original Audi e-tron back in 2019/20.
Testing protocols have changed since then, but at the time the Audi e-tron received a 91 per cent score for adult safety, 85 per cent for child passenger protection, 71 per cent for pedestrian protection and 76 per cent for its active safety systems.
As standard, all Audi Q8 e-tron models get dual front airbags and side and curtain airbags for both front and rear occupants.
Featuring five radar sensors, five cameras and 12 ultrasonic sensors, Audi is confident its active safety suite remains one of the most comprehensive available.
All Q8 e-tron models are fitted with Audi’s pre-sense system, front autonomous emergency braking (AEB) with pedestrian and cyclist detection, turn assist, traffic sign recognition, blind spot warning, active collision avoidance, exit warning, rear cross traffic assist, lane departure warning, a reversing camera and adaptive cruise control.
Thanks to updates, the Q8 e-tron now can offer remote parking in perpendicular and parallel parking spaces without the driver on board, helping you squeeze into the smallest space or garage.
What technology does the Audi Q8 e-tron feature?
The 2023 Audi Q8 e-tron might not be the newest Volkswagen Group product, but you don’t miss out on any tech.
The 10.6-inch infotainment system works with both wireless Apple CarPlay and wireless Android Auto, features Amazon Alexa and can also display Google maps.
Not making the mistake of other rivals, the Q8 e-tron’s lower touch-screen handles the operation of the climate control. The result is a system that is both intuitive, easy to use and quick to react.
One less welcome bit of tech remains the rear-facing cameras that replace traditional door mirrors.
Despite the exterior bits being aerodynamically optimised, the cabin screens are position too low in the front doors, which is odd, while the glare they emit in low-light conditions can be distracting.
What powers the Audi Q8 e-tron?
There’s been some big changes when it comes to what powers the 2023 Audi Q8 e-tron.
At the entry level, the Audi Q8 50 e-tron swaps out its 71kWh battery for the 95kWh power pack that’s used in the outgoing e-tron 55 and e-tron S.
The bigger battery is also joined by a pair of Audi’s next-generation electric motors that have been redesigned to incorporate 14 stator windings in place of the original 12. This enables them to provide a greater internal magnetic field than before, with the motors producing more torque but using less current – and that brings the majority of the efficiency gains.
That all translates into the dual-motor Q8 50 e-tron churning out 250kW (+20kW) and a healthy 604Nm (+124Nm), providing for a very respectable 0-100km/h sprint of just 6.0 seconds.
Better still, aided further by improved aerodynamics, the Q8 50 e-tron can now travel 505km between top-ups – 44 per cent further than before.
The good news continues with the Audi Q8 55 e-tron. Instead of the previous 95kWh battery that was sourced from LG, the onset of Q8 e-tron marks a switch to next-generation batteries from Samsung that are far more energy dense and fit in the same space, despite pumping out 114kWh.
Producing fractionally more power (300kW) but the same amount of torque as the Q8 50 e-tron, the 55 can hit 100km/h from rest in just 5.6 seconds while covering up to 600km between charges (a 32 per cent increase).
Finally, the flagship SQ8 e-tron – formerly known as e-tron S – continues with two motors driving the rear axle and a further third driving the front, with total power still pegged at 370kW and torque at 973Nm.
Against the clock the SQ8 EV takes just 4.5 seconds to dash from 0-100km/h, topping out at 210km/h. The range remains decent at 513km too.
As well as upgrading the batteries in all models, charging speeds have also increased. The Q8 e-tron 50 can now be recharged at up to 150kW (up from 120kW), while the versions fitted with the 114kW Samsung cells can tolerate a DC recharge at up to 170kW.
Despite the bump in performance, the time it takes for a 10-80 per cent charge remains static at around 31 minutes, although you do get more range for the time spent plugged in.
If that sounds a bit underdone compared to the sporty Audi e-tron GT, remember the Q8 e-tron still runs the original 400-volt electrical architecture and not the superior 800-volt that’s supported by the more sophisticated J1 architecture the svelte four-door coupe sits on.
For now, the Audi remains competitive – just. When its closest rival, the Mercedes-Benz EQE SUV, arrives, it too will only be able to charge up to 170kW, but cheaper SUV alternatives from the likes of Kia, Hyundai and Genesis can cope with a 350kW top-up.
How far can the Audi Q8 e-tron go on a charge?
The car-maker claims the 2023 Audi Q8 50 e-tron can cover up to 505km on a single charge (WLTP), while the more powerful Q8 55 e-tron quattro should theoretically travel as far as 600km.
The SQ8 e-tron slots in between at 513km.
Energy consumption for the Audi Q8 50 e-tron is listed at 20.1kWh/100km, while the more powerful Q8 55 e-tron manages 20.6kWh/100km.
Finally, the SQ8 e-tron is claimed to consume power at 24.6kWh/100km.
What is the Audi Q8 e-tron like to drive?
Audi engineers have done a surprising amount of work to sharpen up the way the full range of 2023 Audi Q8 e-tron models drive.
Feedback from the previous version from customers and journalists alike revealed some issues with the original set-up.
Chief criticism was with the steering, hence why the entire range now features a new 10 per cent faster-reacting steering rack that adds precision.
Next, engineers added beefier bushing for the suspension components. On the Q8 50 e-tron and Q8 55 e-tron the bushes are 50 per cent stiffer, while on the SQ8 e-tron they’re 100 per cent stiffer.
Not stopping there, the dampers and air suspension have also been thoroughly retuned to reduce roll and dial out the pitch and dive under acceleration and braking.
Audi claims it considered adding four-wheel steering but the ‘mongrel’ of a platform the Q8 e-tron is based on (it features a bespoke middle section housing the battery with bolted-on parts from the MLB-underpinned Audi Q7) wouldn’t package it.
With firmer damping on the rear and a more relaxed ESP system, engineers say turn-in and precision have been transformed.
Behind the wheel, the Q8 e-tron does feel more lively and less blunt than before through tight and twisty corners. Off centre, the steering also feels more alert and, crucially, it’s lighter too, giving more impression of feel.
Improving agility, the top-shelf SQ8 e-tron’s twin rear motors can also provide superb levels of torque vectoring, helping shrug off further a kerb weight knocking on the door of 2500kg.
Boosting mid-corner grip is the SQ8’s wider track and broader-section 285/40 21-inch tyres that resist understeer.
That said, after driving the new Q8 e-tron trio back-to-back, the Q8 55 e-tron has the sweeter steering, if lacking in the same levels of grip as the S-branded flagship.
Sure, the way the SQ8 e-tron manages to deploy its full 973Nm with minimal tyre slip is pretty intoxicating.
But for most buyers, the less-powerful longer-range version makes sense – and the Q8 55 e-tron is still indecently quick.
Overall, neither the Q8 e-tron nor the SQ8 version are super-engaging. Most of the time you’ll probably just soak up the silence in the luxury SUV, with the levels of refinement extremely high.
There will never be an RS Q8 e-tron. Amazingly, the electric motors can produce more power, but getting enough current out of even the new battery to power them is a no-no, according to Audi.
One final annoyance, the SQ8 e-tron models we drove suffered from an infuriating whining noise at around 60km/h and 90km/h that was generated by the front motor.
Audi says it already has a fix – production versions will switch to rear-wheel drive, effectively decoupling the front motor and eliminating the nasty drone.
What is the Audi Q8 e-tron like inside?
The 2023 Audi Q8 e-tron remains a spacious place for four adults.
In fact, it’s a shame Audi has never been able to manage to squeeze a third row into the large SUV.
As it is, the Q8 e-tron fills the gap between the current combustion-powered Q5 and Q7, but still manages to package a decent 569-litre boot.
Within the cabin itself, design-wise Audi has done little to update the 2019 e-tron’s cabin – and we’re glad.
The entire cabin feels well-made, is easy to use and has a mixture of materials that shame many of its rivals. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
Should I buy an Audi Q8 e-tron?
Since the Audi e-tron was launched in Australia in 2020, the German prestige marque has only managed to shift 295 examples.
The company blames a mixture of chronic lack of supply and the absence of emissions regulations that continue to thwart the uptake of EVs in this country.
Whatever the reason, the incoming 2023 Audi Q8 e-tron and the SQ8 e-tron deserve a second chance.
With improved efficiency, range and performance, Audi’s battery-electric large SUV finally has all the right ingredients to succeed.
2023 Audi Q8 55 e-tron at a glance:
Price: $160,000 estimated (plus on-road costs)
Available: Third quarter 2023
Powertrain: Two asynchronous electric motors
Output: 300kW/604Nm
Transmission: Single-speed reduction gear
Battery: 114kW (106kWh net) lithium-ion
Range: 600km (WLTP)
Energy consumption: 20.6kWh/100km (WLTP)
Safety rating: Not tested
2023 Audi SQ8 e-tron at a glance:
Price: $180,000 estimated (plus on-road costs)
Available: Third quarter 2023
Powertrain: Three asynchronous electric motors
Output: 370kW/973Nm
Transmission: Single-speed reduction gear
Battery: 114kW (106kWh net) lithium-ion
Range: 513km (WLTP)
Energy consumption: 24.6kWh/100km (WLTP)
Safety rating: Not tested
Keyword: Audi Q8 e-tron and SQ8 e-tron 2023 Review