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The Audi Q8 e-tron, formerly the Audi e-tron, is a mid size luxury all electric SUV produced by Audi since 2019 after being revealed as a concept car at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 2015. The model was renamed as the Audi Q8 e-tron in 2022 alongside a facelift of the model and is available now in both SUV and Sportback versions.
Read on in our Audi Q8 e-tron review to find out the information about the latest model and to figure out if it's the best electric car for you and your driving needs.
Whilst the the Audi Q8 e-tron heavily resembles the pre-facelift Audi e-tron but it has, in fact, had some changes made to its overall appearance. This includes a full width light bar as part of the front grille and a slight redesign to the lower bumper, the same has been done at the rear of the car too.
It's the extra things that Audi add to their model that set it apart from other models such as the acoustic windscreen that reduces wind noise or the new alloy wheel designs that refine the look of the Q8 e-tron and improve ride quality at the same time.
The new Audi Q8 e-tron will also be available with two body styles, an SUV and a Sportback version allowing you to choose whichever feels more practical for your driving needs.
The Interior quality of the Audi Q8 e-tron is exceptional too with Twin leather seats in Black as standard and the option to change this to Pearl Beige leather or Okapi Brown at no extra cost. The front seats are electrically adjustable, heated seats with four way lumbar support which allows you to get as comfortable as possible for long drives.
The touchscreen systems within the cabin have haptic feedback, a nice addition in place of a physical button, and are sleek and easy to use on the go. This is paired with Audi Virtual Cockpit which provides sharp and clear graphics in full HD resolution and if you opt for either the Vorsprung trim or the optional Technology Pack the animated and dynamic head up display will project further information onto the road ahead of you.
Your Q8 e-tron is also equipped with Audi Phone Box which provides space for 2 phones to be connected to the car simultaneously through Bluetooth. This impressive technology allows for improved efficiency reception quality with LTE support and the Q8 e-tron will also support wireless charging for your phone.
Front seat passengers will have more than enough room to stretch out and get comfortable in. Head room comes in at 1047mm and the car width of 2189mm means that you'll easily be able to avoid touching elbows with the person next to you.
The rear seats are also really spacious, easily accommodating passengers who reach six foot tall with head room at 996mm. If you need to fit a full carload of five people in you might find that the middle seat in the rear bench isn't quite as spacious as it has a hump in the floor that your passenger will need to manoeuvre around.
Cargo space in the Audi Q8 e-tron isn't limited as many sometimes think an all electric car is. When in use as a full five seater you'll have 569 litres of boot space, 69 litres more than the BMW iX and 64 litres more than the Jaguar I-PACE.
Folding the rear seats down fully opens this space up to 1637 litres, a little less than the iX at 1750 litres but more than the I-PACE at 1163 litres, and is matched with a 40:20:40 split for maximum flexibility between cargo space and passengers.
The all electric Audi Q8 e-tron has two battery options: 50 Quattro and 55 Quattro. These are both all wheel drive, as the Quattro naming indicates, and are available on all trim levels. The Quattro capability also opens the Q8 e-tron up to more progressive steering, better traction control, and gives it a competitive edge against other electric SUVs.
With developments in battery cell technology both the 50 Quattro and the 55 Quattro drive batteries require the same space as the individual cells now have an increased energy density. The battery cells in the original Audi e-tron models were pouch cells whilst the new Audi Q8 e-tron uses prismatic cells which fills the storage space up much more efficiently.
To ensure that your Audi Q8 e-tron will always provide full power over a long period of time, even when external temperatures are high or from a cold start, the battery itself has an indirect cooling system to keep it at the optimum temperature range.
The Quattro all wheel drive uses two electric motors, one in the front axle of the car and one in the rear, and has a regenerative braking system which is able to contribute to as much as 30% of the overall range when in use.
The 50 Quattro uses a 95 kWh battery with a useable battery capacity of 89 kWh which Audi claims provides a full electric range of 272-283 miles at 340PS. This is an increased battery capacity from the previous e-tron model which utilised a capacity of 61 kWh. A top speed of 124mph and 0-62mph time of 6 seconds flat thanks to a maximum of 664Nm makes it an exciting electric car to drive. A rapid charge of 10-80% can take as little as 28 minutes whilst a full charge at home can be done in just over 9 hours.
If you're looking for more range from your electric car then the 55 Quattro offers 320-333 miles in electric range and a bigger battery at 114 kWh. With 408PS the 0-62mph time is reduced by nearly half a second to 5.6 seconds and a 10-80% charge can be done in as little as 31 minutes on a rapid charging point whilst a full charge at home can be expected in around 11 and a half hours.
Every new Audi Q8 e-tron will come with a 4.5m Type 2, Mode 2 charging cable with a domestic and industrial plug, a Mode 3 type 3 AC charging cable, an 11KW onboard charger, a household plug type G and AC and DC charging access point on the drivers side with an additional AC access point on the passenger side.
At launch the Audi Q8 e-tron will have four trim levels available: Sport, S Line, Black Edition, and Vorsprung.
The entry level Sport trim adorned with a large amount of excellent equipment. The exterior has 20 inch alloy wheel designs, contrast paint finish bumpers, a gloss styling pack which includes the roof frame and window trims in aluminium, a power operated tailgate, windscreen with acoustic glazing, and body coloured door mirrors with electrical adjustment and heated and folding functionality.
Inside, Sport models have standard seats in leather upholstery and front seats that are electrically adjustable and have a memory function for storing your configuration. You'll also be able to enjoy heated seats, 4 way lumbar support, 2 zone climate control, a 4 spoke multi-function leather steering wheel, a frameless auto dimming rear view mirror, an LED interior light pack, manual steering column adjustment, and a front centre armrest.
The technology inside the Audi Q8 e-Tron is also exceptional. Enjoy both the 10.1 inch touchscreen in the centre console and Audi Virtual Cockpit for a seamless experience for the driver whilst your passenger can take advantage of the features of the comprehensive infotainment system.
Stepping up to the S Line trim adds 21 inch graphite grey alloy wheel designs, adaptive sport air suspension, body colour bumpers, S Line front and rear bumpers, S Line rear diffusers, S Line badging, privacy glass on the rear and side windows, a 3 spoke multifunction steering wheel in perforated leather with S logo and gear shift paddles, pedals in stainless steel, and a twin leather pack which adds artificial leather trim finishes around the cabin.
The Black Edition adds 21 inch aero glossy black Audi Sport alloy wheels, Audi beam lighting with the e-tron logo, Gloss Black styling on the window surrounds, grille accents, and bumper accents, and anthracite grey-black Audi rings and rear model badging, door mirrors in black, high tech mesh anthracite inlay, and a flat bottom multi function leather steering wheel.
Upgrading to the top trim level Vorsprung gives you 22 inch 6-segment spoke diamond cut alloy wheels, digital matrix lights, virtual door mirrors in black, panoramic sunroof, power door closure, advanced key for keyless entry, adaptive windscreen wipers, front super sports seats in Valcona leather with the embossed S logo, electric steering column adjustment, rear and side window sunblinds, four zone climate control, Bang & Olufsen premium sound system, Audi Virtual Cockpit Plus, 2 rear USB C charging points, a 360 degree camera, park assist with parking aid, and a head up display.
The Audi Q8 e-tron hasn't been officially tested by Euro NCAP or had the results of the previous e-tron model confirmed to apply to the new facelifted model but it does give a good indication of how the Audi Q8 e-tron will hold up in safety testing.
The Audi e-tron was tested in 2019 and received a five star rating with the validity last reviewed for 2021. Whilst it doesn't currently mention the newly facelifted and rebranded Audi Q8 e-tron it's likely that it will also receive the five star rating when it is tested. This would place it on par with other electric cars in the electric SUV segment such as the BMW iX and the Jaguar I-PACE.
At entry level the Audi Q8 e-tron comes with cruise control with speed limiter, lane departure warning, a rear view camera, parking system plus which has 360 degree sensors, Audi Pre-Sense front and basic, traffic sign recognition, isofix points in the outer rear seats and front passenger seat, side airbags, and a front and head airbag system.
An entry level Audi Q8 e-tron Sport with the 50 Quattro engine starts at £67,085 with the S Line following at £72,085. The Black Edition starts at £74,435 and stepping up to the top trim Vorsprung costs £89,085.
In each case opting to upgrade to the 55 Quatro battery adds an additional £10,000 to the base price. Similarly if you choose to add on any additional equipment or opt for a premium paint finish you'll increase the price further.
For comparison, an entry level BMW iX starts at £69,905 and an entry level Jaguar I-PACE starts at £69,995 which makes the Audi Q8 e-tron the cheapest option before making any changes. Most customers looking for a high quality car from the electric SUV segment are expecting to pay these sorts of prices meaning that the Q8 e-tron is well priced.
The Audi Q8 e-tron, whilst not fully an entirely new model to the Audi range, is an exceptional offering in the electric car market. Two powertrain options and four trim levels with a strong selection of personalisation options means you can adapt it to what your preferences are whilst the good range of equipment means that even at entry level there's more than enough to keep you happy.
For more information or to book in for a test drive, contact our knowledgeable teams at Aberdeen Audi and Dundee Audi today.
