2024 Audi SQ8 E-Tron First Drive: The Name Matters

I’m hardly ever a fan of constructing easy issues extra sophisticated, particularly on the earth of automotive naming. BMW and Infiniti have lengthy been events to this unchecked enlargement of mannequin branding and sub-branding, and it’s nonetheless tough to recollect which automobile we’re speaking about when speaking about something from the Mercedes-EQ household of issues.

With that stated, I’ll permit the “Q8” that newly adorns the 2024 Audi Q8 E-Tron, and the tidy “SQ8” as nicely. When launched because the “Audi E-Tron” in 2018, the slim moniker put the entire emphasis on the corporate’s model new branding of its all-electric line. Nevertheless it ignored any indication of what measurement and form of car we have been speaking about – a reality not helped by the coupe-like E-Tron Sportback and the very-much-not-an-SUV E-Tron GT that have been to come back.

Q8 and SQ8 match comfortably into the recognized Audi universe and drastically cut back the RAM I would like to recollect what the hell I’m writing about. For 2024 the automaker will deliver 4 acquainted variants, with the square-backed and sport-backed our bodies on the usual and sporty powertrains. Higher nonetheless, as I came upon means out yonder on an island within the Atlantic Ocean, the adjustments made the E-Tron mannequin make it a much more compelling electrical automobile general.

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Monitor The Modifications

The Q8 rebranding of the electrical SUV could clarify how Audi nomenclature will work going ahead (a query we’ve posed to BMW and Mercedes relating to the way forward for their i and EQ fashions, respectively), however the meat of the adjustments to the automobile web out to a superb old style mid-cycle refresh. In fact, on the earth of EVs, a refresh could make for vital adjustments on the street, as is the case right here.

The Q8 E-Tron group tackled updates to design (after all), vary, and driving dynamics for the 2024 mannequin. (That mannequin 12 months is right: manufacturing of Q8 E-Tron is underway, however first deliveries within the US gained’t begin till summer season.)

The aero beneficial properties, mixed with new and extra environment friendly stator motors and up to date battery chemistry (reworked to make use of much less cobalt) web what Audi is looking a “30-percent” enchancment to the utmost vary figures.

On the design entrance, all the standard areas have been refreshed to reinforce an already techy-cool SUV vibe. Audi’s single-frame “masks” (avoiding the marginally incorrect time period “grille”) is new, as is the large, glossy, and now E-Tron-branded rear diffuser. Lighting components have additionally been up to date, together with a neat element the place the stacked bars from the decrease fascia are mirrored within the corners of the LED headlights.

The brand new bodywork has helped to attain a slippery form, too, with the coefficient of drag bettering by some eight % over the outgoing E-Tron. Observe that the tiny, camera-based wing mirrors seen in these photographs are nonetheless verboten within the US (not a foul factor when it comes to ease of use, should you ask me). Nonetheless, the aero beneficial properties, mixed with new and extra environment friendly stator motors and up to date battery chemistry (reworked to make use of much less cobalt) web what Audi is looking a “30-percent” enchancment to the utmost vary figures.

300 Miles (Give Or Take)

Whereas Europeans will be capable of order a Q8 50 E-Tron with a smaller, and presumably less-costly, 95-kilowatt-hour (89 kWh web) battery pack, North Individuals will solely be provided the bigger 114-kWh (106 kWh web) unit in each the two-motor Q8 55 and the tri-motor SQ8.

Audi isn’t on report with EPA vary figures simply but, however we’re informed to anticipate a 30-percent enchancment in vary, and indications from staffers on web site have been that the headline quantity will “begin with a 3.”

We do have WLTP figures and might make best-guess calculations accordingly. Audi cites a best-case WLTP vary of about 373 miles (600 kilometers) for the Q8 55 E-Tron Sportback, so a back-of-the-napkin EPA determine can be round 320 miles for that automobile. The identical fuzzy math would give SQ8 Sportback a variety variety of round 270 miles (based mostly on 513 kilometers WLTP).

The improved vary numbers will undoubtedly assist Audi in a shortly maturing panorama for premium and sporty SUV-bodied electrics. The BMW iX goes for 305 to 324 miles relying on choices, the Mercedes-Benz EQS 450 manages 305 miles, whereas Rivian’s R1S maxes out at round 320 miles. Q8 E-Tron is now squarely within the combine.

The improved vary numbers will undoubtedly assist Audi in a shortly maturing panorama for premium and sporty SUV-bodied electrics.

All North American fashions, with the large battery pack, may now cost at a max 170-kilowatt charge. Audi reckons that, below excellent circumstances, that’ll imply a cost from 10 to 80 % in 31 minutes. Bragging rights on the charging entrance will nonetheless belong to Rivian and Mercedes, whose SUVs cost at a max of 200 kW, whereas BMW manages 195 kW.

Regardless of these middling peak charge numbers, the E-Tron cost curve appears to maintain the juice flowing at a excessive charge for longer, making the real-world results of its decrease kilowatt quantity considerably negligible. (We’ll have Tom Mologhney kind all of it out ASAP.)

The Lanzarote GP

Audi selected the far-flung Canary Islands as the situation for the Q8 E-Tron debut drive; after two days of practically circumnavigating the tiny, volcanic island of Lanzarote, I can verify that automobile and locale have been largely simpatico.

My drive route (the majority of it accomplished within the more-powerful SQ8) wound up and down mountainsides, opened up for lengthy stretches of coastal freeway, and veered into the mazes of tiny streets crisscrossing postage-stamp villages. On all however probably the most cramped village lanes, the SQ8 proved agile, easy, secure, and quick.

The SQ8 has three motors to the usual Q8’s two, with a 124-kW motor on the entrance axle and two 98-kW motors driving the rear wheels. Whole system output can “increase” as much as 496 horsepower and drive the considerably heavy automobile to an Audi-estimated 4.5 seconds to 62 miles per hour. Hand-timing just a few runs confirmed me that the 4.5 quantity ought to be simple to attain persistently, and anybody unused to the chest-crushing feeling of the moment acceleration will likely be duly impressed.

Dealing with matched or barely exceeded what I take into account a baseline for this new breed of {powerful}, luxurious EVs, with instantaneous torque vectoring serving to tidy up exits from tighter corners. Actually, anybody driving the SQ8 E-Tron on American-sized highways and roads, even huge sweeping curvy roads, will respect the direct and well-weighted steering and planted feeling whereas altering instructions. The revised steering tuning even delivered precisely one iota of street really feel, which is, frankly, nicely above common for this section.

Nevertheless, on among the very cramped roads – just a few seemingly designed to be precisely the width of two Fiat Panda 4x4s – and thru energetic villages, the dimensions of the E-Tron turned extra obvious. The automobile is what we’ll name a midsize SUV right here within the States, and it nonetheless can’t EV-magic its strategy to being comfy dicing on ultra-narrow streets with excessive stone curbing.

Climb Inside

For any European readers, the aforementioned camera-based mirrors don’t assist in any respect right here. I’m certain one can get them dialed into affordable usefulness with observe, however I used to be swearing at them for 2 days. The screens you search for instead of conventional mirrors are nestled a lot decrease than you’d anticipate within the door card – under no circumstances an issue for checking the passenger aspect of the automobile, however at all times annoyingly out of my peripheral imaginative and prescient on the motive force’s aspect. The high-tech mirrors are a standalone choice and I say “purchaser beware.”

I’m going to have so as to add a high quality decibel meter to my touring package as I evaluate extra EVs; the in-cabin quiet of the SQ8 was astonishing, however I’ve had related emotions in electrics starting from the BMW iX to the Star Award profitable Ford F-150 Lightning. In fact, electrical powertrains are inherently far quieter than ICE equivalents, and an enormous discount of noise, vibration, and harshness is the EV’s birthright. However deciding if the Audi’s silent cabin is kind of silent than its Rivian or Mercedes equal, for instance, might be not one thing my ears can measure with sufficient accuracy to be scientific.

Suffice it to say that the cabin is totally hushed at 70 mph, the sound system glowing at high and low volumes (although much less spectacular than BMW’s Hans Zimmer-tuned hifi), and the encompassing design is pitch-perfect Audi. The German rivals on this $70k-ish to $100k-ish value vary have opted for extra lavish lodging, however consumers who respect clear strains and a contemporary, minimalistic vibe will little question vibe with the E-Tron.

I particularly dug the fabric-like surfacing on the inside trim items (Audi has unimaginatively dubbed it “technical cloth”) that’s wrought partially from recycled plastics. The place different luxurious automobiles go shiny and wealthy, Audi goes matte, brushed, and demure, giving the SQ8 a far much less fussy feeling.

There’s additionally loads of room for big people like me within the standard-back Q8 E-Tron form. At 6-foot-5 I had greater than sufficient leg and headroom behind the steering wheel, and within the backseats. Although I didn’t get to drive the Sportback variant on this journey (we’ll undoubtedly deliver you a fuller evaluate of that automobile within the close to future), I did poke round sufficient to notice the intrusion of the rakish roof on the rear passengers. Folks of common top will nonetheless match okay again there, I’d guess.

By way of storage, we’re nonetheless working with a relative lack of finalized specs from Audi, however we do have a determine for 20.1 cubic toes within the again (extrapolated from Euro specs and presumably with the second row up). That will put the Audi squarely behind the “all seats up” quantity from the BMW iX (35.5 cu ft). Nonetheless numerous versatile loading area within the rear, however not class-leading.

Let’s have a look at frunks! The E-Tron rocks a small however helpful 2.2 cu ft entrance trunk, which instantly places it in entrance of the frunkless EQS SUV and iX on this essential metric. Tesla’s Mannequin X troopers on with a pleasant 6.5 cubes up entrance, however the R1S takes the title (not less than when it comes to EV SUVs) with 11.1 cu ft.

Present Me The Cash (Please?)

At InsideEVs and Motor1.com employees conferences I like to hammer dwelling that value and worth are unquestionably an important components for automotive consumers in nearly each section. So I think about that it’s karma screwing with me a bit that Audi has provided up zilch on the pricing entrance as of this writing.

I used to be informed that pricing for the present E-Tron SUV is an efficient beginning place for the eventual MSRP. However the panorama of automotive pricing has modified fairly dramatically since that automobile launched, and I might anticipate that Audi will cost for among the many enhancements made on this technology of E-Tron.

For the reason that new “base” Q8 E-Tron has a bigger battery and revised motors on prime of the entire different enhancements, I do anticipate the worth to leap considerably from the $70,800 requested of the 2023 mannequin. One thing nearer to the $84,100 requested of the BMW iX xDrive50 might be within the playing cards.

Whereas up to date, the exhausting factors of the 2024 SQ8 hew a little bit nearer the 2023 E-Tron S which begins at $88,200. A base value within the low $90k vary is a fairly good guess, if nonetheless a guess. Watch this area and the information feed of InsideEVs for detailed pricing when we now have it.