The crossover formerly known as the Audi e-tron now carries a new name. Now dubbed the Q8 e-tron, the new crossover has finally made its way to the Philippines. With that, Audi Philippines continues its march towards greater electrification.
The Q8 e-Tron arrives in the Philippines in both standard and Sportback bodies. That said, its design is markedly different from the gasoline powered Q8 that’s also available in the country. It’s also worth pointing out that there are two variants of the electric crossover available here. The first is the 50, while the other is the more powerful 55 model.
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Differentiating the two variants from the outside is the grille. The 50 models get a silver panel, while the 55 comes with a sportier gloss black finish. Wheel designs are also different, and the 55 also gain a full-length panoramic sunroof. As for design, the Q8 e-tron follows the brand’s current language and philosophy.
Aside from the name change, the crossover now known as the Q8 e-tron gets several chassis tweaks to enhance its driving dynamics. That’s because the asynchronous motor concept on the rear axle was modified, and it gains torque vectoring for higher grip levels. The Q8 e-tron rides on air suspension and it can be lowered and raised to the driver’s preference.
Inside, the Q8 e-tron uses the MMI touch response operating system. Its two large high-resolution displays—the top one with a 10.1-inch diagonal and the bottom one with an 8.6-inch diagonal—replace nearly all conventional switches and knobs. As it’s a luxury crossover, there is acres of leather and other high-end materials on board.
Powering both versions of the Q8 e-tron Quattro are a pair of electric motors. In the 50 model, it has a total system output of 335hp and 664Nm of torque. Providing charge to those motors is a 95kWh battery pack with a range of up to 491km. As for the 55, it gains an upgraded battery pack with 114kWh and boosts its range to 582kw. The larger batter also provides an extra boost in power, now at 408hp. Like the 50 model, the 55 has a torque figure of 664Nm.
