For driving with a clear conscience: The new Audi Q8 e-tron should finally convince the brand’s SUV fans of the electric drive. In addition, the top-of-the-range electric vehicle has a longer range than the previous e-tron without “Q”, slightly shorter charging times and a slightly different appearance.
At Audi, an “8” always stands for special luxury, lots of power under the hood and the exploitation of all the innovations that modern electronics bring with them. That was already the case with the progenitor V 8, Audi’s first luxury sedan, which also brought all-wheel drive to the luxury class in 1988. Six years later, the classy A 8, followed by the high-performance R 8 sports car. With the Q 8, Audi entered the race for the crown among large SUVs. All eights together stood for the old age with powerful petrol engines or diesels.
The new Lord of the Rings is now supposed to rock the electric age, challenging the usual rivals like the Mercedes EQC or the BMW iX. At 4.92 meters, the new top model Q 8 e-tron is a little shorter than its combustion engine counterpart, which is still available, but it is in no way inferior to it with its powerful, elegant appearance. A luxury SUV for higher earners that, depending on taste, comes with slight changes in the front area as a classic boxy SUV or as a sporty hatchback Sportback.
Almost at the same time as the start of production in the Belgian factory, the first test drives on Lanzarote, with strict speed limits everywhere, but with exciting stretches between the lava residues that volcanoes left behind when they erupted almost 300 years ago.
The information collected about the Q 8 e-tron is on a good 60 closely written pages. We are talking about the new rear-axle motor, which is not supplied with electricity when all-wheel drive is not required, thus saving energy. Or from the newly adjusted air suspension, which masters the balancing act between comfort and sportiness, from around 40 assistance systems with five radar sensors, just as many cameras and their twelve ultrasonic ears. Together they supply a central control unit that processes all information in fractions of a second. The light is broken down into 1.3 million pixels from digital matrix headlights. So far, the technology has mainly been used in high-resolution video projectors.
The boss in the ring is the SQ 8 e-tron, which comes with three engines. One at the front with 124 kW/169 hp and two at the rear, each with 98 kW/133 hp, each responsible for one rear wheel. In the so-called “boost” mode with the accelerator pedal depressed, the trio achieves 370 kW/504 hp. The proof follows later on a cordoned-off, dead-straight coastal road. The 2.7-tonne ship shoots off from a standing start and reaches the 100 km/h mark in 4.5 seconds. Just a second longer than the two-seater R 8 with its ten-cylinder petrol engine.
Nobody really wants to know how much precious power the SQ 8 has sucked out of its battery. In practice, the future owners will forego such escapades with regard to the sensitive range as well as the possible top speed of 210 km/h. Electric driving requires relearning and rethinking, even with a car for 95,800 euros and a lot of strength. Because the driving pleasure in such a technology giant has its own quality beyond speed and sprint speed. The stress-free and almost silent start when overtaking, no longer accompanied by the usual dull whinnying of the horse stable in the engine compartment is part of it.
On the agenda is the grandeur of a large SUV, the sovereignty of operation thanks to the well-known standard strengths of an Audi such as steering, brakes and chassis. In addition, there is relaxed long-distance comfort in a fine ambience, peppered with fine materials or filigree quilting on the well-formed seats, as in the past. Good to know that their fibers now mostly consist of recycled PET bottles or former textiles. The same applies to the insulation or the carpets in the Q8 e-tron.
Almost overwhelming is the number of electronic helpers whose work usually takes place in the background of the train operation. Examples are the automatic recognition of a speed limit sign or the automatic slowing down in front of a roundabout or tight curves. In the next year, a Q8 e-tron driver will even be able to get out before parking and exiting a parking space and remotely control his Audi using a smartphone app, but he may not be more than six meters away.
It’s hard to spot weaknesses. Depending on the battery, the newcomer has a range of between 294 and 600 kilometers that its predecessor e-tron, but now charges with a maximum of 170 kW, which others like the Porsche Taycan or the Mercedes EQS can do better. The technicians were also unable to eliminate a frequently mentioned point of criticism during the major update. The two small monitors, which have a camera image of what is happening behind the car instead of a classic mirror, are still mounted in an unfavorable place for the driver’s viewing angle. Especially annoying in direct sunlight. So it still takes a long time to get used to it.
With the new flagship, the noble VW subsidiary heralds the next stage on the long road to the electric car. By 2026 there should be more than 20 models, although some plug-in hybrids are still included. After that, the combustion engines also had their day in Ingolstadt. At least for customers in Germany.
Technical specifications
Audi Q8 55 e-tron
Audi Q8 50 e-tron
Audi SQ8 e-tron
