Tri-motor SQ8 e-tron and Sportback will serve up 496 hp and 717 lb-ft of torque, but other gains will be just as important.
- Audi e-tron and its coupe-shaped Sportback twin receive mid-cycle updates, new names: Audi Q8 e-tron and Q8 Sportback e-tron.
- The Ingolstadt-based automaker has increased the usable battery capacity and aerodynamic efficiency of the two bodystyles, promising gains in range.
- The Audi Q8 e-tron, SQ8 e-tron and their Sportback variants will arrive stateside at the end of April 2023 in the US, with US pricing and official EPA numbers to be revealed closer to market launch.
The Audi e-tron has been around long enough to become a common sight on US roads, having propelled Audi in to the EV age in 2018, arriving years before other competition from Germany. Since its launch Audi has sold globally some 150,000 examples of the e-tron, which were soon joined by other models, now totaling eight.
The luxury SUV and its Sportback sibling are now receiving a midlife update to keep them fresh for another few years, and the first big change is the name of the model itself.
The Audi e-tron will now be known as Q8 e-tron—the name it should have gotten from the start—and the same goes for its Sportback variant, with the performance-flavored models becoming the SQ8 e-tron and SQ8 Sportback e-tron as well.
What’s new with this major update?
Ingolstadt has given the model range new front and rear fascias, including a sculpted metallic grille that trades horizontal and vertical lines for an oval crate pattern, while the changes out back are a little more subtle, with a redesigned rear diffuser giving the rear fascia a more integrated appearance.
The rear fascia has been revised as well with a new rear diffuser.
Audi
More than just making small tweaks to the model’s exterior appearance, Audi engineers have managed to improve the aerodynamic coefficient of both variants, with the Q8 e-tron going from 0.28 to 0.27 Cd, while its Sportback sibling improved from 0.26 to 0.24. The automaker credits larger wheel spoilers mounted on the underbody, as well as a new self-sealing system in addition to the electric shutters of the active grille itself.
When it comes to the drivetrain, Audi managed to squeeze out more capacity from the two battery options, which include the 89-kWh (net) 95-kWh (gross) battery offered in the Q8 50 e-tron, as well as the 106-kWh (net) 114-kWh (gross) battery that powers the more powerful Q8 55 e-tron and the SQ8 e-tron models.
“Thanks to an adjustment to the battery management system, the battery capacity usable for customers has increased as well,” the automaker notes. “At a high-powered charging station, the Audi Q8 50 e-tron reaches a maximum charging performance of 150 kW. With the Q8 55 e-tron and SQ8 e-tron, the maximum charging performance increases to up to 170 kW.”
Audi notes that under ideal charging conditions, the larger battery can be juiced up from 10% to 80% in 31 minutes. With an optional 22-kW home wallbox, the charging time is about four hours and 45 minutes for the smaller battery.
Audi has updated the interior as well with some new tech and materials, including the microfiber material Dinamica.
Audi
Audi has improved the asynchronous motor in the rear axle, giving it 14 coils instead of 12, with the motor now generating a stronger magnetic field for more torque. The gear ratio of the steering system was tweaked as well for a quicker response.
“The effect of the direct steering ratio is supported by more rigid suspension bearings on the front axle. Steering movements are thus transmitted to the wheels more directly, and feedback from steering reactions is improved as well,” the automaker notes.
When it comes to the interior, the Audi Q8 e-tron will be certified as net-carbon-neutral for US and European customers by using recycled materials for carpeting, damping, and insulation. In the S-line vehicles, the seats are upholstered in synthetic leather as well as the microfiber material Dinamica.
“Dinamica is made from up to 45% polyester fibers that are manufactured from recycled PET bottles, used textiles, and fiber residue,” the automaker said. “In contrast to previous microfiber quality, the production of Dinamica is also solvent-free—another contribution to environmental protection.”
The SQ8 e-tron Sportback has benefitted from the mid-cycle updates as well.
Audi
When it comes to driver convenience, Audi introduces remote park assist plus, which will be available starting in 2023, allowing the vehicle to maneuver itself automatically into the tightest parking spots. Owners will be able to control the whole procedure using their myAudi app on their smartphones. Once the Q8 e-tron reaches its final position in the parking spot, it locks the doors, engages the parking brake and turns itself off. Egress from the parking spot is handled via the myAudi app as well.
With this mid-cycle redesign, another major change for US buyers will be enhanced range for both variants.
Fully charged, the Q8 e-tron SUV will run for 582 km (362 miles) in the WLTP cycle when it lands here in the second quarter of 2023, while the Sportback version will offer up to 600 km (373 miles), once again in the WLTP cycle. It will be a few months before we’ll know the official EPA figures, which are usually weeks prior to market arrival.
As for power output, this is where it gets a little complex as there are two bodystyle variants with three versions each.
The Q8 e-tron and Sportback will arrive stateside in the second quarter of 2023.
Audi
The standard dual-motor Q8 50 e-tron and its Audi Q8 50 Sportback e-tron sibling generate 335 hp in boost mode and 489 lb-ft of torque, offering a range of 491 km (305 miles) in the SUV and 505 km (313 miles) in the Sportback variant, thanks to better aerodynamics.
The dual-motor Audi Q8 55 e-tron and its Audi Q8 55 Sportback e-tron sibling, on the other hand, serve up 402 hp in boost mode along with 489 lb-ft of torque. However, with larger batteries, their ranges land at 361 miles for the SUV and 373 miles in the Sportback (in the WLTP cycle).
The SQ8 e-tron SUV and its Sportback sibling use a tri-motor layout, producing 496 hp and 717 lb-ft of torque. This gives the SQ8 e-tron SUV a range of 306 miles, while its Sportback twin will run for 318 miles.
Europe will get the revised Q8 e-tron lineup first—this coming February—with a starting price of €74,400, or about $75,100. The US will receive the Q8 e-tron at the end of April. Orders for the model, meanwhile, will start in mid-November.
Jay Ramey Jay Ramey grew up around very strange European cars, and instead of seeking out something reliable and comfortable for his own personal use he has been drawn to the more adventurous side of the dependability spectrum.
Keyword: Here’s What the Updated Audi Q8 e-tron and Sportback Promise