The Facelifted Audi e-tron Will Be Called Q8 e-tron And You Can See It Tomorrow Itself

 

• E-tron to be called Q8 e-tron with the introduction of the facelift. 

• Audi Q8 e-tron and Q8 e-tron Sportback to be revealed overseas on November 9. 

• Latest teaser reveals similar overall shape and headlight and taillight design as current e-tron. 

• Likely to get changes to the powertrain and battery for better performance and efficiency. 

• Expected to go on sale overseas in early 2023, India arrival likely a few months later. 

Audi has released the first teaser of its upcoming flagship electric vehicle (EV), the Q8 e-tron and its Sportback variant. It will be a facelifted version of the flagship e-tron, which will now be called the Q8 e-tron, and is set to be unveiled globally tomorrow on November 9. 

The upcoming EVs will slot above the Q4 e-tron SUV as well as the Q6 e-tron EV that’s planned in the future. Its sales are expected to begin overseas by early 2023; its India arrival is likely to be sometime in late 2023. 

 

 

 

 

 

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What we know so far 

Audi had planned to introduce the replacement for the e-tron much later in 2026 by naming its successor as the Q8 e-tron. However, the name will be implemented with the facelift, the teaser indicating that there won’t be extensive changes to the overall silhouette of the two electric SUVs. The headlight and taillight design seems largely similar, too, with digital matrix LED units up front and a full-width LED taillight element at the rear.

Existing Audi e-tron interiors for representation

Audi hasn’t given us a hint of the EV’s interiors, but we expect the design changes to be minimal here too. The Q8 e-tron will be loaded with features such as dual touchscreens for infotainment and HVAC, four-zone climate control, panoramic glass roof, Virtual Cockpit digital driver’s display with integrated navigation, a 360-degree camera and driver assistance tech (ADAS).

Powertrain changes expected 

The current e-tron SUV has a 95kWh battery that’s good for up to 484km of range. We aren’t sure of the new model’s specs, but given the tough competition from newer EVs such as the BMW iX, the Audi should get a bump in range. WLTP power consumption figures indicate that the Q8 e-tron will be more energy efficient – while the older SUV had a combined consumption of up to 27.57kWh per 100km, the Q8’s figures stand at 24.4-20.1kWh per 100km.

The standard e-tron 50 Quattro (Audi speak for all-wheel drive) SUV offers an output of 312PS and 540Nm, while the higher-spec 55 Quattro variant gets a peak output of 407PS and 664Nm. An even more powerful 503PS e-tron S variant is also offered overseas.   

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We’ll get you the full info and details about the upcoming Q8 e-tron SUV upon its unveiling tomorrow. When it arrives in India, expect to pay a premium over the price of the current e-tron that retails between Rs 1.02 crore to Rs 1.20 crore (ex-showroom). The Q8 e-tron will rival luxury EVs such as the Mercedes EQC, Jaguar I-Pace and the aforementioned BMW iX SUVs.