Let’s get the confusing part out of the way: Anything you read after this has nothing to do with Audi’s flagship crossover, the full-sized Q8. No, this is about a mid-cycle freshening of the German automaker’s e-tron, its first all-electric vehicle, one that, since its introduction almost four years ago, has racked up global sales of 150,000 units.
This comprehensive refresh of the sporty mid-sized EV crossover, what will be a 2024 model, comes with a finagling of the e-tron’s name. For a more comprehensive explanation, let’s turn to Carter Balkcom, Audi product marketing manager, speaking during the recent Zoom introduction of the model.
“In 2019, Audi introduced its first every battery-electric vehicle, the Audi e-tron SUV. One year later came the Sportback variant … Since that time the e-tron family [has grown]. We launched two additional electric vehicles, the Q4 e-tron family as well as the e-tron GT super-sport sedan,” said Balkcom.
“Now is the right time to update the Audi e-tron family and that includes giving it a new name. Starting this fall, the e-tron family will be called the ‘Q8 e-tron family.’ This is [to] bring the e-tron into Audi’s new naming strategy, which will communicate very simply, very precisely, and very clearly to our customers the prestigious positioning as our highest-level electric SUV.”
2024 Audi SQ8 e-tron quattro Photo by Audi
2024 Audi SQ8 e-tron quattro Photo by Audi
2024 Audi SQ8 e-tron quattro Photo by Audi
2024 Audi SQ8 e-tron quattro Photo by Audi
2024 Audi SQ8 e-tron quattro Photo by Audi
2024 Audi SQ8 e-tron quattro Photo by Audi
It’s not like Audi hasn’t done this before. Forty-odd years ago, it introduced the capital-Q Quattro sports coupe — the one that evolved into the formidable rally car of the early ’80s — complete with a then-new all-wheel-drive system, which became known as small-q quattro and which has become the definitive drivetrain on just about every subsequent Audi since.
History lesson over, let’s be crystal-clear. The previously mentioned high-end Q8 crossover, the one that competes with the likes of Mercedes’ GLS and BMW’s X7, is not getting an electric powertrain — at least not yet. But Audi has been following what it calls “a systematic electric road map.” Its electric portfolio now comprises eight models. By 2026, it will have more than 20. At that point, the company says it will be releasing only fully electric models on the global market.
Returning to the refreshed Q8 e-tron, which is to say the crossover currently known as the e-tron: Its complete makeover starts with a significant increase to both battery capacity and charging performance. “On top of that,” says Oliver Hoffmann, Audi board member for Technical Development, “we improved the motors, progressive steering, and chassis control systems — and thus the dynamic driving characteristics that are typical of Audi in all versions of the Q8 e-tron.”
Dealing with the tech-y stuff first: The 2024 Q8 e-tron and Q8 Sportback e-tron will be offered in three variants — 50, 55, and S — with a choice of three drivetrains with electric all-wheel-drive. Fitted with two motors, the base Q8 50 e-tron and Q8 50 Sportback e-tron will generate 335 horsepower (250 kW) in boost mode and 490 lb-ft of torque, with Audi claiming a driving range of up to 491 km (for the SUV) and 505 km (Sportback), in accordance with the WLTP (Worldwide-harmonized Light Test Procedure).
With their two motors, the Q8 55 e-tron and Sportback e-tron will generate 402 hp (300 kW) in boost mode and 490 lb-ft of torque, with range increasing to 582 km for the SUV and 600 km for the Sportback, again in accordance with the WLTP. The top-end SQ8 e-tron is powered by three motors that put out 496 hp (370 kW) combined and 718 lb-ft of torque. Range is up to 494 km for the SUV; and 513 km for the Sportback. These numbers represent a vast improvement over the current 2023 e-tron, which has a range of just 364 km — good when it first came out, but now surpassed by any number of EVs that have come to market since.
2024 Audi SQ8 Sportback e-tron Photo by Audi
2024 Audi SQ8 Sportback e-tron Photo by Audi
2024 Audi SQ8 Sportback e-tron Photo by Audi
2024 Audi SQ8 Sportback e-tron Photo by Audi
For the new Q8 50 and 55 e-trons, the asynchronous motor on the rear axle was modified. Instead of 12 coils generating the electromagnetic field, there are now 14. The motor consequently generates a stronger magnetic field, which in turn allows for more torque. If more torque isn’t needed, the electric motor requires less energy to generate, lowering consumption and increasing range.
With the S model, Audi used a three-motor concept for the first time in large-scale production. A 166-hp electric motor is at work on the front axle. On the rear axle, there are two electric motors, one for each wheel, each putting out 131 hp. Torque can be distributed across both rear electric motors between the wheels within a split-second. Audi has discontinued the 71-kW battery (which is not offered on the 2023 model in Canada) and is making the 95-kW (gross) battery the entry-level size for the new Q8 50. The 55 and S versions, meanwhile, come with a 114-kWh (gross) battery.
Battery management system adjustments have allowed usable capacity to be increased. At a charging station, Audi says the Q8 50 e-tron reaches a maximum charging performance of 150 kW. With the Q8 55 e-tron and SQ8 e-tron, max charging performance increases up to 170 kW. Under ideal conditions, the big battery can be charged to 80 per cent from 10 during a roughly 30-minute charging stop, corresponding to a range of up to 420 km (according to WLTP). At an AC charging station or wallbox, the Q8 e-tron charges at up to 11 kW.
2024 Audi Q8 e-tron quattro Photo by Audi
2024 Audi Q8 e-tron quattro Photo by Audi
2024 Audi Q8 e-tron quattro Photo by Audi
2024 Audi Q8 e-tron quattro Photo by Audi
At 4.91 metres, the new 50 and 55 Q8 e-trons are incrementally longer than the existing model. The SQ8 e-tron and SQ8 Sportback e-tron are each two millimetres lower and 39 mm wider. The crossover has a storage volume of 569 litres for the SUV and 528 litres for the Sportback. There are also 62 litres available in “frunk,” the front storage area.
Aerodynamics became a top priority for the new e-tron, says Balkcom. “Efficiency is one of the key drivers of electric range in a battery electric vehicle. We started improving efficiency through aerodynamics in ways like adding wheel spoilers to the underbody to better control the flow of air around the wheels.” The spoilers on the front axle were enlarged, and the Sportback e-tron now has spoilers on the rear wheels as well.
With the SQ8 Sportback e-tron, spoilers are only mounted on the rear axle. In the area around the grille, the EV has a self-sealing system in addition to the electric shutters that automatically close the radiator — a first time for an Audi model. This system further optimizes the airflow at the front of the car and prevents undesired losses. In all, this has resulted in a reduction of the drag coefficient to 0.24 cd from 0.26 for the Sportback e-tron and to 0.27 cd from 0.28 for the e-tron.
See how the e-tron compares to rivals like the Jaguar I-Pace and Tesla Model X
The new Q8 e-tron comes standard with an air suspension. The height of the body can be adjusted by a total of 76 mm, depending on the driving situation. Also, its electronic stability control will allow for even more maneuverability, says Audi, especially in tight corners, thanks to revised progressive steering. The gear ratio of the steering system was changed so that the steering responds much more quickly, even when making “delicate” steering movements.
Moving to the cabin, Audi is offering an optional four-zone automatic climate control system along with the standard two-zone system. Three-stage ventilation provides for comfortable seating, says the automaker, even at high outdoor temperatures. In addition to the standard seats, highly adjustable individual contour seats will be optional, complete with pneumatic seat and backrest adjustments and a massage function.
2024 Audi SQ8 e-tron quattro Photo by Audi
Like all luxury-class Audi models, the Q8 e-tron uses the MMI touch-response operating system. Its two large high-resolution displays — the 10.1-inch top one and the 8.6-inch bottom one — replace nearly all conventional switches and knobs. Beyond operation with the two touch displays, a lot of features can be activated through voice control. The digital display and operating concept in the Q8 e-tron is rounded out by the standard Audi virtual cockpit with full HD resolution.
Audi clearly has confidence the comprehensive upgrades to the Q8 e-tron will restore it to the forefront of EV crossovers. “The new Q8 e-tron, with its improved efficiency and range and refined design, is another important component in our electric portfolio to get people excited about electromobility with emotional models that are suitable for everyday use,” says Markus Duesmann, Chairman of the Board of Management of Audi AG.
The market launch of the new Q8 e-tron is planned for the end of February 2023 in Germany and other European markets. In North America, the model is expected to come to market at the end of April. North American pricing has yet to be announced. The base price for the Q8 e-tron in Germany will be 74,400 euros (about $99,400 Canadian at time of writing); the current 2023 model ranges in price from about $87,000 to $96,000.
Keyword: First Look: 2024 Audi Q8 e-tron