They say, electric vehicles are the future of mobility, but then, launching an EV just to jump the green wagon became a sort of fashion in India. Many automakers, especially the luxury ones, launched their own iteration of electric cars in the past few years, most of which felt like a compromise. But then, I drove the Audi e-Tron a couple of years back and it changed my perception on the luxury electric cars. The Audi e-Tron was a proper, driver-friendly electric SUV with zero tail pipe emission. Fast forward to 2023, Audi has now introduced the updated e-Tron, called the Audi Q8 e-Tron. Here's our first drive review of the newest electric SUV in the town.


Audi Q8 e-Tron: Video Review


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Audi Q8 e-Tron: Design


The Audi Q8 e-Tron positions itself as the flagship electric car from the German automaker and comes in two body types, a regular SUV and a Sportback. The biggest change comes at the front with a new inverted grille and also a new 2D logo, that looks super premium. Apart from these elements, it also gets Digital Matrix LED headlamps, Singleframe Projection Light and functional air vents that give it a very plush appeal from the front.


The side and the back profile of both the cars vary as per their body styling, but you get 20-inch Aero ring style alloys on both the versions. Without any doubt, the Sportback looks better than the SUV, and that’s why it is being offered to potential buyers as well, despite being low on ceiling height. 



Audi Q8 e-Tron: Cabin


Sit inside the Audi Q8 e-Tron and you will be surprised by the amount of technology thrown at your face. From the Audi Virtual Cockpit to the two screens on the dashboard, a panoramic sunroof, 3D surround sound system and what not! No wonder, it's the preferred choice of vehicle for Tony Stark (refer to Avengers: Endgame, where Robert Downey Jr. drives an Audi E-Tron GT).


The feature list is exhaustive, and things like ventilated and heated front seats with massage function, Ambient Lighting package plus, Park Assist plus with 360⁰ Camera, 4-zone climate control system all adds to the desirability factor. You get 8 airbags, Lane departure warning, Audi Pre-Sense Basic in terms of safety equipment. Practicality wise also, the Audi Q8 e-Tron offers many spaces inside the cabin, including the Audi Phone Box. The boot is gesture controlled with electrically opening & closing functionality. 



Audi Q8 e-Tron: Battery & Performance


Coming to the performance of the Audi Q8 e-Tron and e-Tron Sportback, both the cars get a similar battery pack, but the body shape varies the driving range. The audi Q8 e-Tron gets an improved 114 kwh battery pack with 600 km electric range for the Sportback version. You can charge the battery from 10-80% in 30 minutes, and 20-80% in 20 minutes. The highlight is that the car gets a charging flap on both the side, easing your charging woes.


The Sportback among these has a low coefficient of drag, rated at 0.24, helping it achieve 600 km WLTP range, while SUV with 0.27 Cod gets around 580 km range. The output is rated at 408 HP and 664 NM, which works brilliantly for the car of this size. In fact, coupled with a Permanent all-wheel drive Quattro, the Audi Q8 e-Tron can do 0-100 kmph in just 5.6 seconds.



Then you have 7 driving modes to choose from, ranging from Eco to Comfort and Off-Road modes among others. These modes can alter a variety of things in the car, but the highlight here has to be the adaptive air suspension. Not only it gives the SUV such a fabulous ride quality, it can be altered upto 80 mm as per the driving style. While the standard ground clearance is 176 mm, it can be raised by 50 mm and lowered by 30 mm.


The steering response is tremendous and there’s a negligible body roll in the SUV and Audi calls it an Audi Progressive Steering. Taking a sharp turn around the Nandi Hills in Bengaluru felt like cutting butter using a hot knife. Since it’s an electric car, it has no engine noise, but Audi has further worked on arresting the NVH levels inside the cabin, which gives it a plush ride quality.



Verdict


I have said this earlier and I will say it again, for the price point Audi was selling the e-Tron, and is expected to launch the Audi Q8 e-Tron, this SUV duo is the best driver's electric car you can buy in India. Not only that, the electric vehicle looks luxurious and gets an exhaustive list of technology to match the brand's rich legacy. In my honest opinion, the Audi Q8 e-Tron deserves to be your only car, and your second car, if you are planning to buy a new luxury SUV, which is green, feature loaded and a driver's delight.