Audi Q8 e-tron vs. Audi e-tron: Here's what's new

Uploaded 2 years ago by TopElectricSUV

Video Summary

Here are the key points and findings from the video review of the electric car:

The Audi e-tron has been renamed the Audi Q8 e-tron for its mid-life facelift, including a cosmetic refresh and technical revisions. This indicates Audi's likely intention to reposition these models alongside the Q8 in the next generation, signaling a transition. The exterior features a new, flatter 3D Singleframe grille with larger honeycomb-shaped openings and inserts. Connected headlights highlight the car's width, and a new projection light on the upper edge of the grille visually connects with the DRL strip inside the headlights. The Audi logo receives a new 2D design. A sportier front bumper and new alloy wheels are present, and the revised rear bumper includes a new blade and diffuser with four vertical fins. Larger spoilers are found on the front wheels.

The interior design of the Q8 e-tron is similar to the previous e-tron. It's available with a new anthracite-colored sustainable technical material made from recycled plastic bottles. New plastic covers are used for the seatbelt buckles.

Safety features include improved digital Matrix LED headlights with dynamic light sequencing. The Q8 e-tron introduces three new on-board features for driver assistance: enhanced traffic information, lane light with a direction indicator, and orientation light on country roads, which can project the vehicle's own lane including on narrowed roads and assist with precise lane centering. The vehicle employs up to 22 sensors for driver assistance, including five radar sensors, five cameras, and twelve ultrasonic sensors. The new model features remote park assist plus, allowing the vehicle to maneuver itself into tight parking spaces.

Performance is improved in the base 50 variant compared to the old e-tron 50. The Q8 e-tron 50 generates 250 kW in boost mode and 664 Nm of torque, up from the e-tron 50's 230 kW and 540 Nm. Top speed has increased from 118 mph to 124 mph. Audi modified the asynchronous motor concept on the rear for the Q8 e-tron, requiring less energy to generate torque, resulting in lower consumption and a higher range.

Range is significantly improved. The Q8 e-tron 50 has an 89 kWh battery pack compared to the e-tron 50's 64 kWh. The new models (55 and SQ8) manage 362 and 307 miles (WLTP) respectively, compared to the old models' 274 and 231 miles. The previous e-tron's range figures were considered terribly low.

Charging capacity has increased. The Q8 e-tron 50 charges at up to 150 kW DC, an improvement of 20 kW over the old e-tron. The Q8 55 e-tron and SQ8 e-tron's maximum DC charging input is 170 kW. The new Q8 e-tron will take 31 minutes to charge from 10% to 80%, featuring rapid charging with a charging curve unique among competitors.

The ride and handling have seen improvements. The progressive steering system has a different gear ratio for improved responsiveness. The new model has a different tuning for the springs of its air suspension. Suspension bearings on the front axle are more rigid, leading to more direct transmission of steering movements to the wheels and improved steering feedback and feel.

Price and release date information indicates that the e-tron prices start at $70,800 in the US, and the Q8 e-tron will arrive stateside by the end of April 2023. Expect it to be slightly costlier than the model it replaces.

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