Audi officials say that the new 2024 Audi Q8 E-Tron and its twin, the Q8 Sportback S Line E-Tron, are made for high-end buyers who like the standard Q8 with a gas engine. After trying the top-of-the-line E-Trons with US standards in northern California, we know why. The 2024 Audi Q8 E-Tron doesn’t feel like an electric car or a surprise trip into a strange new world. The electric SUV is called the Q8 E-Tron, which is a good choice because it moves like a Q8. There are two ways to use an electric vehicle. It can attract buyers who want something different from what they’ve had in the past because of how it looks and how fast it goes. There are also brand-new EVs on the market that are made to help buyers who are nervous about the switch. Because they are not scary, they are beautiful. In the second group, there is the new Q8 E-Tron line. It stresses that it is an E-Tron while still easily recognizable as a Q8 SUV. The Q8 E-Tron has a new name and a wider bonnet and body pieces that make it look like a bigger car. The cars are better at moving through the air because they have air openings, wheels with covered dimples, and a flat, covered bottom. Also, the Q8 E-Tron family drives incredibly similar to a regular Q8. You might be tempted to think that a quieter internal combustion engine gives you power. Details about the 2024 Audi Q8 E-Trons cars sold in the United States Even though we didn’t have US specs at the time, Trend took the Q8 E-Tron for the first time late last year. We now know that the North American model’s Quattro all-wheel drive system, driven by a rear-axle and a front-axle motor, makes 402 horsepower and 496 abaft of torque. The normal Sportback takes 5.4 seconds from 0 to 60 mph, but Audi says the Ultra aerodynamic package will cut that time to 5.3 seconds. You’ll have to wait until the SQ8 comes out later this year to see acceleration that will blow your mind, but torque distribution is smooth and comfy. The SUV has a range of 285 miles, but the Sportback S Line has a range of 296 miles. These cars have about 6% less drag than the E-Tron that came before them. The most content is in the base Sportback with the Ultra package, which can go 300 miles on a single charge. It has a lower chassis and low-resistance tires wrapped around 19-inch wheels. Also, the Sport backs do not have roof racks; only the base Q8 SUVs do. The new 114 kWh battery pack, comprising 36 modules with 12 stacked prismatic cells in each, has about 20% more power than the original E-Tron battery but weighs less the same space. At 19.2 kW, level 2 charging takes about 6.5 hours, while it takes about 13 hours at 9.6 kW—the 400-volt power source for the Q8. The Q6 E-Tron, the first Audi on the Volkswagen Group’s new Premium chassis Electric (PPE) chassis, will be the first car with the 800-volt system. A Good Feeling Brake The aggressive regenerative brakes and hard stopping of an EV, which can be uncomfortable initially, are also signs. The Q8’s brakes are smooth and easy to use. You might have thought you were in an ICE car. You can choose how much regenerative braking happens by using the paddle shifters on the steering wheel, but it feels like little. Also, the Q8 E-Tron units can’t be driven with just one pedal. A day of turning through redwood forests and down California’s Pacific Coast showed off a faster steering ratio and firmer control arms. The steering weight was just right for keeping you in touch with the handling without being too heavy. The Q8 has seven drive modes, but you must pay close attention to the details to tell them apart. Dynamically, the car changes right away to Sport. The suspension is dropped, the throttle mapping is reversed, and the steering becomes heavier. Conversely, efficiency will lower the rest and set the top speed limit to 85 mph unless you pump the engine. Recline and unwind The Audi has excellent seats that massage you and a perfect virtual dashboard. The 10.1-inch screen on top shows navigation quickly. Before each turn, voice orders are given, which are short and easy to understand. The traffic light timer is a helpful feature that tells you when a stoplight is coming up and how many seconds are left until the light changes colour if you are stopped at a red light. Even though none of the crossings on our route could analyses the data, Audi engineers who have used it in big towns love it. Standard features include an extra tire and an air suspension, which is not always valid with EVs. Fast DC charging is free for two years. Electrify America gives the Q8 E-Trons two years of unlimited DC fast charging and a Plug & Charge feature that lets the charger and car talk to each other, so payment cards aren’t needed. Audi leaders say that EA could be better but promise to make changes. The base price of the Q8 E-Tron is $75,595, while the base price of the Sportback is $78,995. The most expensive Sportback model is priced at $93,145. The SUV and Sportback from Audi are now called the Q8 E-Tron, an excellent name for them. Even though they are still all-electric, the latest models are more like the Q8 than the first E-Tron.
