Audi Q8 e-tron SUV - Electric motor, drive & performance

The new Audi Q8 e-tron – just like its predecessor – is a car that quite obviously prioritises comfort over sporty handling. It’s a smart move, as it’s far easier to make a car quieter and more cosseting, than it is attempting to disguise its bulk through the corners. 

All cars get air suspension as standard, which can lower the Q8’s ride height by up to 76mm at high speeds, with the aim of reducing energy-sapping wind resistance to improve battery range. Even on 20-inch wheels, the ride is exceptionally smooth. Refinement is first-rate, too; the Q8’s rivals are quiet, but we reckon the Audi is one of the best motorway cars available at any price, even beating the Audi A8 limousine for cruising. With camera side mirrors fitted, wind noise is cut even further to the point where tyre roar is the only audible sound. It feels stable and secure on these roads, and facelift models with the big battery now have a long range to go with that excellent high-speed composure.

Every e-tron sends power to all four wheels via what Audi refers to as a ‘new generation’ of its quattro four-wheel-drive system. It's able to vary the power that reaches each pair of driven wheels, reacting to road conditions in a fraction of a second. However, while there isn’t much body roll, it doesn’t feel particularly engaging to drive. The steering is light and doesn’t offer much in the way of feel; a Jaguar I-Pace or BMW iX is more fun.

There are different drive modes, switchable via the Audi Drive Select programme. But unless you really need to eke out every last mile of range, or require maximum power at the flick of your right foot, we’d just leave the car in its default setting. Even like this it feels quick and responsive.

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The regenerative braking is unobtrusive in its operation, too. It doesn’t offer one-pedal driving like you might find in the Mercedes EQC or Jaguar I-Pace, but Audi claims its set-up is more efficient – allowing the car to coast is actually better for range than reclaiming energy via a strong regen system, apparently. 

That said, the Q8 is still capable of feeding power back into the battery, and will always prioritise this setup during gentle braking. Only when you need to stop suddenly will the e-tron use its hydraulic disc brakes.
 

Audi e-tron electric motor

The Audi Q8 50 e-tron and 55 e-tron variants are powered by two electric motors, while the SQ8 boasts an extra motor on the rear axle. Each model is capable of rapid performance, with even the entry-level 50 e-tron doing 0-62mph in six seconds flat.

Step up to the 55 e-tron and power increases from 362bhp to 402bhp. That's enough to allow 0-62mph in just 5.6 seconds. It's not as neck-snapping as the response in a Tesla Model X but it’s less hesitant than a conventionally powered Audi SUV with an automatic gearbox. The Q8’s top speed is 124mph.

For the ultimate performance, the flagship SQ8 e-tron gets a considerable power hike to 496bhp thanks to that third electric motor. But it’s the huge 973Nm of torque that makes the flagship feel so fast – faster than its 0-62mph time of 4.5 seconds would suggest, certainly. Audi has also added several upgrades to improve the handling, including a new torque vectoring system to help distribute power to the wheels. This helps with traction during hard acceleration and cornering. The quattro four-wheel drive system has also been tweaked to send more power to the rear wheels, making the e-tron S feel more like a rear-wheel-drive car and thus slightly more fun. It’s still a heavy car, though, and certainly feels it at times. It’s more fun to drive than a Genesis GV70 Electrified, though.