[Mania] Off-Road Racing Made Easy with Electric Cars... Audi Q8 e-tron Quattro

Audi Q8 55 e-tron Quattro Test Drive
Increased Battery Capacity for Over 400km Real Driving Range
Air Suspension and All-Wheel Drive System
Maintain Ride Comfort on Dirt Roads and Rough Mountain Slopes

Is it possible to drive an electric vehicle off-road? On the 20th of last month, I drove the Audi large electric sports utility vehicle (SUV) ‘Q8 55 e-tron quattro’ along mountain trails around Yeoju-si, Gyeonggi Province. Adjusting the air suspension through the touchscreen inside the car, I felt the body rise. A space large enough to fit a fist appeared between the wheel and the vehicle fender. The elevated electric vehicle raced effortlessly over dusty, rough mountain slopes. It easily passed bumpy unpaved roads and steep slopes over 30 degrees. The key point was that it maintained ride comfort without losing precise handling and agility even off-road.

Audi Q8 e-tron Quattro passing a steep slope
[Photo by Audi Korea]

The Audi Q8 55 e-tron quattro is equipped with an electronic quattro (all-wheel drive) system. This system enhances traction for precise driving and allows instantaneous adjustment of power distribution between individual wheels. During the test drive, when passing a bumpy section, even at moments when two wheels lifted off the ground and floated in the air, the vehicle adjusted traction to easily get out of the ditch. It was impressive that an electric vehicle weighing over 2.5 tons could move nimbly and agilely.

Audi Q8 e-tron Quattro passing through a bumpy section (uneven road)
[Photo by Audi Korea]

The Q8 e-tron continues the legacy of Audi’s first pure electric vehicle, the ‘e-tron,’ launched in 2018. The Q8 e-tron, released domestically in June this year, is a facelift model with improvements in driving range, charging performance, and aerodynamics compared to the previous model. The Q8 55 e-tron quattro tested that day is equipped with a 114kWh battery with increased capacity compared to the previous generation, and the official driving range has increased to 368 km on a single charge. The actual driving range on a full charge that day exceeded 400 km.

Although the battery capacity increased, the size of the battery pack did not grow. Instead, the battery cell density was improved to store more energy in the same size battery. The charging speed was also increased from the previous 150kW to 170kW. The powertrain delivers a maximum output of 408 horsepower and 67.7 kg·m of torque, accelerating from zero to 100 km/h in 5.6 seconds.

Audi Q8 e-tron Quattro [Photo by Audi Korea]

Another change is the improved aerodynamic performance through design modifications. The front grille of the vehicle is equipped with an automatic ‘electronic grille shutter’ that opens and closes to optimize airflow depending on driving conditions. Additionally, wheel spoilers and air curtains installed under the vehicle facilitate smooth airflow.

The premium trim and high-performance models feature virtual side mirrors. Instead of mirrors, cameras are mounted on the side mirrors. These cameras display the driving situation behind the vehicle on OLED touch screens installed on both doors. This reduces air resistance and noise, and makes driving convenient even in rain or at night. One downside during the Audi Q8 e-tron test drive was the display and navigation system. Perhaps due to familiarity with panoramic display screens connected as one in domestic cars or T-map-based navigation, the split screen and navigation of the Q8 e-tron felt somewhat cumbersome.

Audi Q8 e-tron Quattro [Photo by Audi Korea]

The price of this vehicle starts at 108.6 million KRW for the base model Q8 50 e-tron quattro. The Q8 55 e-tron quattro is priced at 120.6 million KRW, and the premium trim is 131.6 million KRW. Audi Korea provides an 8-year or 160,000 km warranty on the battery. Additionally, through the dedicated electric vehicle application ‘MyAudiWorld,’ users can find charging stations, make reservations, and check charging completion status.