Audi launched the E-Tron electric SUV, the automaker chose to simply call it the E-Tron at the time because it was its only electric vehicle, and now the car is updated The version has been released and has been renamed the Q8 E-Tron.
The Q8 E-Tron also comes in two body styles: Q8 E-Tron and Q8 E-Tron Sportback, the latter being a coupe sports version. Available in 50, 55 and SQ8 trims with all-wheel drive as standard, the SQ8 is equipped with a tri-motor and is the fastest of the three.
Two electric motors in the Audi Q8 E-Tron S power the rear axle and one power the front axle, producing a combined 496 horsepower (370 kilowatts) and 717 pound-feet (973 Newton-meters) of torque. It can sprint to 62 mph (100 km/h) in 4.5 seconds and is also the fastest model with a top speed of 130 mph (210 km/h).
The 55 features dual motors for a combined output of 402 hp (300 kW) and 490 lb-ft (664 Nm) of torque; it can sprint to 62 mph in 5.6 seconds. The least powerful model is the 50, which has a slightly lower power output than the 55 at 335 hp (250 kW) and the same torque output. It takes 6 seconds to accelerate to 62 mph and has a top speed of 124 mph (200 km/h).
Audi says it has improved battery technology in these vehicles, and they are now around 20 percent more energy dense than before. The 55 and S models have larger battery packs with a combined capacity of 114 kWh, while the 50 will feature a smaller 95 kWh pack.
With the facelift, Audi has also lowered the vehicle’s drag coefficient, which is even lower on the Q8 Sportback model, giving it a range of up to 373 miles (600 kilometers) on a single charge, and up to 360 miles (580 kilometers) on the SUV model. In the smaller-battery version, the Q8 is expected to have a range of 298 miles (480 kilometers), compared with 311 miles (500 kilometers) for the Q8 Sportback. These figures are based on WLTP conditions.
The Q8 E-Tron comes standard with an 11kW onboard charger, with an option to upgrade to 22kW. Vehicles with smaller battery packs will be capable of DC fast charging at 150 kW, while vehicles with larger packs can be boosted to 170 kW; it will take 28 minutes to charge the small battery to 80% and 31 minutes for the large battery.
The exterior changes are minor, but Audi says the front and rear of the car have been revised. This is the first Audi to feature the redesigned four-ring logo, which is now flatter. Inside, the car features new interior materials, seat belt buckles made from recycled materials, a new infotainment screen and new sports seats covered in Dinamica microfibre.
Audi will begin deliveries of the Q8 E-Tron in early 2023, first in Europe and then in the U.S., for an undisclosed price.
