Audi Q8 e-tron review: a perfect illustration of how electric SUVs aren’t the solution

But there is a payoff: although the new batteries are physically the same size, the greater density means they are 24kg heavier. Audi has mitigated some of this by claiming back 7kg in the switch from aluminium to carbon-fibre for the car’s undertray and there have been other efficiency savings – for example, tweaks to the aerodynamics to better direct air around the wheels and along the floor. 

Audi’s engineers have also squeezed two more windings into the coils in the rear of the two motors in the 50 and 55 versions. The benefit is that this enables these motors to produce the same amount of torque while using less current. The three motors in the SQ8 e-tron, meanwhile, are unchanged. 

And there are new on-board chargers, raising peak charging speeds from 120 to 150kW in the base model, and 150 to 170kW in the 55 and SQ8 e-tron. That means it’ll take 28 minutes to charge the 50 from 10 to 80 per cent, or 31 minutes in the larger-batteried cars. 

Money talks

Prices for the entry-level 50 Sport start at just under £68,000, which is reasonable enough compared with the competition, but once you start upping the spec the prices increase rapidly; the 55 S-Line we’re testing here will set you back closer to £83,000, which is more than the equivalent Mercedes-Benz EQC. 

You can add a further £2,500 to those figures if you want to upgrade to the swoopier Sportback but beware its lower roofline, which impinges on boot space for larger loads and makes rear-seat access slightly tricker. 

The EQC can’t match the Q8 e-tron’s range, however, and neither can the iX unless you upgrade to the £99,000-odd M50 version, though you will get fewer miles for every kilowatt hour of energy than you will with the BMW. That said, none of these big electric SUVs is particularly energy efficient, so it’s not as though choosing one over another will reduce your electricity bill. 

On the outside, the most obvious cosmetic change is the new “mask” around the grille and headlights; surprisingly little else though. Inside, too, the story remains the same: smart, reasonably stylish and beautifully made, albeit rather dour next to the flamboyant BMW iX. 

Touch sensitive

Usability is OK, too; yes, the climate controls are all on a touchscreen, which makes them distracting and fiddly to use. But at least it’s a dedicated screen, separate to the main infotainment system, which means the climate controls are always visible and usable; that means no fumbling around to find the menu from which the climate controls are accessible.

You can still get the Q8 e-tron with its fancy-pants rear-facing cameras instead of door mirrors but, as it has always been, our advice remains not to bother. Not only are the screens mounted too low, so you always end up looking at the camera itself instead, but bitter experience has told us that these systems are compromised at night or in wet weather. This is one area in which “keep it simple, stupid” most definitely applies. 

There’s plenty of room, though; rear seat passengers have oodles of space, and the boot is one of the largest you’ll find in any electric car – though do keep in mind that a large amount of that volume is composed of the under-floor cubby, so you’ll have to remove the boot floor to make the most of it. 

Silent running

One of the aspects we loved most of the previous version was its sheer sense of isolation on the motorway. This is unchanged in the updated Q8 version. 

It is extraordinarily quiet at high speed, with wind and road noise little more than a hushed and distant rustle and, of course, no engine noise to speak of. The air suspension makes light work of motorway undulations, too, and while you sometimes feel sharper bumps such as expansion joints, you only really notice them because of the absence of any other jolts or jitters.

It’s a touch less serene at lower speeds; from standstill, you can hear the e-tron’s motors working even on a light throttle, which is something that doesn’t happen in most electric cars – even ones costing half as much. The ride can get a tiny bit flummoxed by scrappy patches of urban Tarmac, too, though it’s rare that it becomes uncomfortable. 

The extra weight hasn’t exactly helped with the e-tron’s handling. This was already a car whose weight was apparent when you tried flinging it at corners, and you can feel it shifting around all the more on quicker sinuous roads. 

The e-tron is still largely vice-free, though, its immense traction and copious grip meaning you’ll really have to be disturbingly brutal to get it to the point at which things start to go awry. 

It’s meticulously balanced and neutral throughout, so you’ve always got a pretty good idea of how it’s going to respond and, as you’d expect from one of these high-end EVs, there’s always plenty of urge on tap,. But the dull steering and impassive way the chassis responds to the accelerator mean this is a car in which you will rarely, if ever, feel like taking the fun way home. 

The Telegraph verdict

Still, if you’re after a big, friendly, quiet and comfortable electric SUV, you could do much worse. Of course, cars such as these are not the solution to the climate crisis – far from it, in fact. We should never lose sight of the fact that they are still big, heavy, thirsty SUVs – they’re just powered by electricity instead of petrol or diesel. 

Just one more reason not to be fooled by the Q8 e-tron. But if your heart is such a thing, perhaps because of its favourable company car tax liability, then it is still one that’s worthy of your consideration. 

It’s true that the myriad changes haven’t really effected much of a difference in the way the Q8 e-tron feels; consequently, it can’t quite match the interior panache of the BMW iX or the handling of the Jaguar i-Pace. But they have done just enough to keep this car toward the top of its class, which it sits astride as a good all-rounder; not perfect, but still rather likeable nonetheless.

The facts

On test: Audi Q8 e-tron 55 S-Line

Body style: five-door SUV (also available as a five-door SUV coupé)

On sale: now

How much? £82,800 on the road (range from £67,800)

How fast? 124mph, 0-62mph in 5.6sec

How economical? 2.8mpkWh (WLTP Combined)

Electric powertrain: 2x AC asynchronous motors with 106kWh (usable) battery, 170kW on-board charger, Type 2/CCS charging socket

Electric range: 329 miles

Maximum power/torque: 402bhp/490lb ft

CO2 emissions: 0g/km (tailpipe), 51.6g/km (well-to-wheel*)

VED: £0

Warranty: 3 years / unlimited miles

Spare wheel as standard: no (not available)

The rivals

BMW iX xDrive40 M Sport

322bhp, 263 miles, £72,905 on the road

One of those cars that impresses if you shut your eyes, fumble your way through the door and only open them again once you’re inside. The trouble is, the iX is deeply impressive in top-spec, mega-bucks form, but this more affordable version is surprisingly lacklustre in comparison. You don’t get much range for the money, for example, and it’s nowhere near as potent as the Audi – though you do save £10,000, which is not inconsiderable. 

Mercedes-Benz EQC 400 AMG Line

402bhp, 245 miles, £74,275 on the road

Not hard to see where Audi’s pitching the Q8 e-tron when you look at the EQC’s power figure, is it? And given it’s so much cheaper, you might conclude it’s much better value. But just look at that range figure; in the real world, this is a car that’ll struggle to crack 180 miles on a cold winter’s day. For this sort of money, that’s just not good enough any more. 

Jaguar i-Pace EV400 SE

395bhp, 278 miles, £70,950 on the road

It might be the eldest, but of all the rivals here the i-Pace still seems to make the most sense – it’s cheaper, comes closest to the Audi on range and almost matches it on power. Granted, the Jaguar is less roomy inside and quality isn’t quite up there with the Audi’s, but this is still an accomplished electric car – and one that rides and handles very sweetly indeed. 

*based on 2021 UK electricity generation & transmission carbon intensity