Audi is now a leader in the luxury battery electric vehicle (BEV) space, and they’ve achieved that status by building vehicles that provide the “Audi-ness” customers crave along with all-electric propulsion.
The 2024 Q8 e-tron Sportback SUV is their latest effort, and it’s a good one. Just remember my usual words of caution to anyone considering a new BEV (more on this below).
For starters, the Q8 e-tron Sportback is yet another example of a luxury SUV that’s been “coupe-ified”—think Porsche Cayenne Coupe or BMW X6—which is either a good or bad thing depending on your point of view. If you want maximum utility, you won’t appreciate the loss of interior space in the Sportback, and in that case I’d refer you to the standard (and boxier) Q8 e-tron. On the other hand, if you want more sportiness combined with a sleeker exterior design, then the Q8 e-tron Sportback is for you.
Speaking of exterior design, the Q8 e-tron Sportback is attractive with a flowing profile augmented by—and this is typical Audi—space age and very attractive head- and taillights.
One of the pillars of Audi luxury leadership since the 1990s has been exterior lighting, and Audi’s newest models move that area of excellence forward. Every light that you can see is LED (obvs), but the way the lights are shaped and move is pleasurable to behold. Naturally they do their job very well and don’t just look cool. Just when I think another brand is approaching Audi’s lighting abilities, Volkswagen’s venerable luxury brand takes another step forward.
The same is true for the Q8 e-tron Sportback’s interior, which is attractive and technologically advanced. While everything has been digitalized, including the gauge cluster behind the steering wheel, the familiar Audi touchstones of black background/white numbers/red needles remain. So do the expensive looking and feeling materials that remind you every time you get behind the wheel that all those hours of hard work you’ve spent over the years have been rewarded.
There is less of that feeling when you sit in the back seat though, because the sloping roofline that adds to the Q8 e-tron Sportback’s good looks subtracts from rear seat headroom. I’m 6’2” and felt claustrophobic back there. And luggage space under the rear hatch is also limited.
Driving the Q8 e-tron Sportback is similar to what you’d experience behind the wheel of a regular internal combustion Q8, only quieter. The suspension, clearly tuned to “comfort,” handles bumps and potholes with ease. And the Q8 e-tron Sportback’s highway manners are excellent. Athletic maneuvers, however, are … umm, not encouraged, and agility is limited by the hefty Audi’s 5962 lbs. curb weight.
The Q8 e-tron Sportback is quick, though. Car and Driver reported a 5.2 second 0-60MPH time, which is impressive. Less impressive is the 296-mile range on a full charge, a number that we all know reflects optimal temperatures and conditions.
Pricing for the Audi Q8 e-tron Sportback BEV starts at around $79,000 for the Premium and maxes out at $90,000-ish for loaded Prestige models. Not cheap.
And that brings me to my usual words of caution about BEVs: Before buying an Audi Q8 e-tron Sportback or any other BEV think about how you’ll use it. If you have a home charger, commuting and running errands in a BEV are a cinch, but long trips may be challenging. Automotive News and the Wall Street Journal have recently reported that the charging infrastructure isn’t what it should be to support long trips in a BEV, and outages at existing charging stations are a continuing challenge.
In addition, resale values for BEVs generally lag behind their equivalent internal combustion competitors, so consider leasing. Of course, BEVs come with government incentives unavailable to buyers of vehicles that burn gasoline, so there are a number of factors you need to consider. (For the record, government BEV incentives are usually offered to customers who lease BEVs, not just those who purchase them.)
The Audi Q8 e-tron Sportback is a luxury BEV that brings the “electric” while also bringing the “Audi.” If you want an all-electric car that gives you both of those things, swing by your local Audi dealer for a test drive.
Stephen Schutz has covered automotive world for more than 30 years as a syndicated writer and podcast host. Read his column monthly in The Cricket.
