Electric S models arrive in Australia

The ranks of Audi Australia’s all-electric e-tron range have swelled with the addition of three new models – a new entry model Q8 50 e-tron and the high-performance SQ8 e-tron in both SUV and Sportback configurations. These join the Q8 Sportback 55 e-tron which arrived in Australia late last year and of course the range topping all-electric grand tourers, the e-tron GT quattro and the RS e-tron GT which have been available in Australia since early 2023.

Available only in SUV configuration, the new SQ8 50 e-tron allows entry to the all-electric Q8 range from $140,600* while the high-performance SQ8 e-tron quattro and SQ8 Sportback e-tron quattro, with their three-electric motors arrive from $173,600* and $180,600* respectively. These new models continue the new naming designations that began with the Q8 55 e-tron last year,  allowing for greater differentiation between different electric vehicles just as has been the case in internal combustion ranks for some time.

These new models also feature the brand’s new design language and corporate treatment immediately apparent in the new two-dimensional Audi four-ringed logo. 

Those with an eye for details will be able to differentiate the models first by their respective front grille design which differs for each distinct variant, but even from a distance, the unique signature lighting of the two SQ8 e-trons set them apart with the distinctive lighting strip that runs the width of the grille and effectively links the front Matrix LED headlights.

Audi Q8 50 e-tron

Calling the Q8 50 e-tron the entry model to the Q8 all-electric range really doesn’t do it justice, as it is an accomplished large luxury SUV, this plug-in electric model wants for nothing. Driven by dual electric motors (one on each axle) it delivers 250kW of power and over 400km of range (411km on the WLTP cycle) from its 95kWh battery. It dispatches the 0 to 100km/h sprint in six seconds flat and with its 150kW charging capacity can complete a charge from 10 percent capacity to 80 percent in just 28 minutes.

Riding on 20-inch five-arm ‘Aero’ style rims and adaptive air suspension, it delivers a smooth, limo-like ride which is accentuated by the ultra-quiet cabin, even under hard acceleration. Inside, the occupants are ensconced in the leather-clad seating, with the front featuring heating for chilly morning starts.

The list of standard equipment is impressive, from the connected world opened up through the Audi connect plus, navigation and infotainment functions all there at the touch of a screen, right through to Audi’s 12.3-inch virtual cockpit and heads-up display allowing ease of operation without taking your eyes off the road.

All of the features, technology and luxuries you would expect from the brand’s benchmark SUV range are seamlessly integrated into an interior that with its inlays in matte brushed aluminium,  once again reinforces Audi’s reputation for producing outstanding interiors.

SQ8 e-tron

But for those who want more than benchmark luxury and a silky ride, there is now the SQ8 e-tron, which is where we spent the bulk of our time on the recent national launch. Taking over from the original Audi e-tron S models, this new iteration of the performance version retains the three electric motors – a world first on the original models – with two motors driving the rear axle and another up front. This combination and a large 114kWh battery (106kWh net) make for a veritable rocketship cleverly disguised as a large, luxurious SUV.

The only Q8 e-tron model now available in either SUV or Sportback body styles, the SQ8 e-tron in either guise has an obvious edge to its styling, that, while subtle in true Audi fashion, is undeniable. Featuring a slippery drag coefficient of 0.27 for the SUV body style and 0.24 for Sportback, the shapes have been optimised for aerodynamics which aids range.

The SQ8 e-trons feature S body styling as standard, which includes the S front and rear bumpers as well as the grille, side sills and the rear tailgate spoiler. Panoramic sunroof is likewise standard. 

Aside from the aforementioned Matrix LED headlights and exclusive light signature, little touches like the air intake on the leading edge of the front guards lend a more purposeful look to the exterior as well as serving their practical function of allowing more air to pass over the huge front brake discs.

The brakes are also a visual clue as to the SQ8 e-tron’s performance, finished as they are in red and sitting in massive 22-inch Audi Sport alloy rims finished in a high sheen titanium grey.

There are other classic ’S’ touches to identify these as the performance models, like the aluminium-look finish on the electronically-operated and heated wing mirrors, although the likes of the telltale ’S’ quad exhaust are not present for obvious reasons.

But the absence of exhaust tips or an engine noise don’t mean an absence of power and performance, with the three motor system combining to produce an impressive 370kW of power and an incredible 973Nm of torque. That high torque figure accounts for the lightening 0 to 100km/h time of just 4.5 seconds on the way to an electronically-governed top speed of 210km/h.

The 114kWh battery is the largest battery currently available in a battery electric vehicle, and while it has greater capacity than the 95kWh unit it replaces on the original Audi e-tron S models, it is physically no larger, but rather derives its greater capacity from being a 20 percent denser unit. 

Using the WLTP cycle, that equates to a range of around 417km for the SQ8 e-tron and 430km for the slipperier SQ8 Sportback e-tron. Add to that a charging capacity of 170kW, and the battery can be charged from 10 percent to 80 percent in a shade over 30 minutes (31 minutes to be precise). With charging ports on both sides of the vehicle, this is a simple process. With home charging options starting from the standard 7.2kW system supplied with the vehicle, customers will also be able to opt for a 22kW AC charging package for even greater convenience, with an additional second onboard charger (up to 22kW three phase) and an Audi connect charger, up to 22kW AC three phase.

For those with experience of the Audi brand, the SQ8 e-tron is immediately familiar in terms of its operation and its driving feel. Controls and switch gear is all just where you would expect to find it, with the operation of touch screens and various vehicle systems all intuitive. So too the ride and feel on the road, where the silky smooth ride over even broken road surfaces does little to upset the SQ8 e-tron even at speed. 

And speed is something the SQ8 e-tron has in spades, rocketing off the line and hitting 100km/h in the aforementioned 4.5 seconds – quick in any vehicle but all the more remarkable in a full-sized SUV fully laden with every conceivable luxury item. In some ways the absence of a revving engine accentuates the feel of the pure acceleration when you tramp on it off the line, the faint whirr of the electric motors giving it a slightly space-aged feel. Under hard acceleration you are firmly pushed back into the sports seats and it’s a feeling that never gets old, even if you have to button off pretty quickly simply to preserve your licence. 

That instant acceleration is invaluable in the cut and thrust of city traffic and makes for effortless overtaking out on the open road. On winding roads it slingshots the SQ8 e-tron out of bends without the need to maintain revs, and the additional use of the wheel-mounted paddles to retard progress, brings the added dimension of recovering energy into play. It just surges from corner to corner, with nary a hint of lag because quite simply, there isn’t any.

With sharper progressive steering and revised chassis tuning, and of course the electric quattro, the SQ8 e-tron feels altogether more nimble on twisting roads despite its size, and on secondary roads or freeways it simply gobbles up the kilometres.

All the while you’re cocooned in the sumptuous cabin with its heated front seats in their distinctive S diamond-stitched pattern and a full complement of state-of-the-art infotainment and in-car tech. Even the multi-function sports wheel is heated for your comfort and the cabin provides the perfect environment in which to enjoy the Bang & Olufsen 3D sound system with its 16 speakers distributed strategically around the interior.

Those wanting to further refine the offering can opt for the Sensory package which adds touches like the soft close power latching doors and outer heated seats in the rear. It also includes the upper and lower dashboard finished in fine Napa leather and Audi’s air quality package and a sunshade for the rear windows, cementing the SQ8 e-tron’s place at the top of the Q8 e-tron ranks.

It’s an impressive vehicle that transitions effortlessly between luxury conveyance and high-performance specialist, comprehensively delivering the best of both. It’s not quite as quick off the mark as its all-electric GT stablemates, but as all-electric SUVs go, it’s very much in a class of its own.

(*Manufacturer List Pricing [MLP] – excludes dealer delivery and government statutory charges)