EV time strikes quick, and Tesla has bought roughly half the two million or so all-electric autos now on U.S. roads. Audi was late to the EV occasion, first providing the E-Tron SUV for the 2019 mannequin 12 months, and lots of long-time homeowners purchased their first long-range electrical car from Tesla when Audi had no EVs to promote. Tesla gross sales within the U.S. now outnumber these of Audi’s whole lineup.

The 2024 Audi Q8 E-Tron and E-Tron Sportback are up to date variations (with new names) of the battery-electric SUV and “coupe SUV” the German luxurious model has bought since 2019 and 2020, respectively. Not solely have they got revised entrance styling, however in addition they get a higher-capacity battery that gives a considerable vary increase—together with one model anticipated to clear the essential 300-mile ranking.

I drove each Q8 E-Trons a complete of about 175 miles by way of the forests and again roads of northern California, although I didn’t pattern the extra highly effective SQ8 E-Tron powered by three motors relatively than two. My aim was to reply the query: Is that this up to date pair of Audi E-Tron SUVs sufficiently higher to lure drivers of Tesla Mannequin X or Mannequin Y crossover utilities?

The reply is a professional “Possibly.” Extra on that later.

2024 Audi Q8 E-Tron

2024 Audi Q8 E-Tron

2024 Audi Q8 E-Tron

Audi Q8 E-Tron: Appears to be like extra like an ICE SUV

Audi’s up to date naming conference for its SUVs (the “Q” ranges) and sedans (the “A” ranges) assign even numbers to EVs, whereas fashions with an inner combustion engine (ICE) get odd numbers. So, the range-topping electrical SUV previously referred to as “E-Tron” is now the Q8 E-Tron. There’s only one downside: an ICE Q8 is already within the lineup and it’ll coexist with the Q8 E-Tron in defiance of the brand new naming conference.

To mix the 2 totally different autos right into a single lineup, the electrical Q8 has an up to date entrance finish that echoes that of the gasoline model. Which means it has a extra outlined grid sample in deeper aid, in black or physique colour, that would go for the grille of a combustion car. The sooner E-Tron’s flat silver blanking panel steered its electrical powertrain, however plainly’s now not the aim.

2024 Audi Q8 Sportback E-Tron

2024 Audi Q8 E-Tron

2024 Audi Q8 E-Tron

2024 Audi Q8 Sportback E-Tron

The general impact is delicate, however someway makes the squarer SUV model of the Q8 E-Tron appear a bit sleeker, regardless of its substantial presence and bulk. The tall “coupe” tail of the Q8 E-Tron Sportback stays an acquired style, however it’s extra widespread exterior North America. Gross sales of the E-Tron Sportback had been solely 10-15% of the overall in earlier mannequin years.

Different adjustments embody new wheel designs (in 20-, 21-, and 22-inch sizes) and Q8 badging on the pillars between the doorways, and on the tailgate—now in shiny black relatively than the normal chrome. The inside hasn’t modified a lot; it will likely be reassuringly acquainted to Audi drivers and homeowners of the sooner E-Tron specifically.

2024 Audi Q8 E-Tron

2024 Audi Q8 E-Tron

2024 Audi Q8 E-Tron

Audi Q8 E-Tron: Efficiency developed, not redefined

Audi had a number of targets in updating the drive software program of its massive EVs. Amongst them had been higher differentiation amongst drive modes (Effectivity, Consolation, Auto, Off-road, and All-road) and a sportier really feel. Revised bushings and management arms, together with a faster steering ratio (14.6:1 versus the previous 15.8:1) make these heavy SUVs much less numb and appliance-like than the earlier variations.

As earlier than, all fashions include air suspension and adaptive dampers that mix to deal with most street circumstances properly. My solely criticism was a little bit of head toss and physique roll over imperfections in a few of the two-lane forest roads on the drive. The Q8 E-Tron powers its rear wheels by default, with the entrance motor kicking in (quicker, Audi says) when wanted for traction or cornering efficiency. It’s all sufficiently seamless and I by no means detected the transitions.

Acceleration from the higher-capacity battery stays the identical, at 5.6 seconds within the 60 mph run. Audi has stayed away from the explosive acceleration provided by Tesla. The entrance and rear motors mix to supply 355 hp and 414 lb-ft of torque, which ratchets as much as 402 hp and 490 lb-ft within the shifter’s Sport mode.

The regenerative braking is essentially achieved by way of the brake pedal; no setting exists for the “one-pedal driving” most well-liked by skilled EV drivers. That stated, the “Auto” setting for regenerative braking (known as “recuperation” by German makers) boosts the regen when following one other car or based mostly on map knowledge. It takes a little bit of acclimatization, however it’s surprisingly helpful in sure varieties of driving.

Total, the electrical Q8’s dynamics are an evolution of the E-Tron relatively than a redefinition. For the document, each early-production Q8 E-Trons I drove had been fantastically screwed collectively.

2024 Audi Q8 E-Tron

2024 Audi Q8 E-Tron

2024 Audi Q8 E-Tron

Audi Q8 E-Tron: Nonetheless inefficient however much less so

The Achilles Heel of the E-Tron when it launched launch was its inefficiency, which produced a rated vary of solely 204 miles from its 95-kwh battery pack. This was particularly pronounced at freeway speeds. Over a month-long mortgage of a 2020 E-Tron SUV, I by no means noticed effectivity of greater than 1.9 to 2.0 miles per kwh at freeway speeds—and my month-long effectivity quantity was simply 2.1 mi/kwh.

That in comparison with roughly 3.0 mi/kwh for a Tesla Mannequin X, additionally mirrored within the rivals’ EPA-rated efficiencies: 74 MPGe for the 2019 Audi E-Tron SUV versus 96 MPGe for the Tesla Mannequin X Lengthy Vary of the identical 12 months, which had an EPA-rated at 325 miles of vary. (Miles Per Gallon Equal, or MPGe, is the space an electrical automotive can journey on the vitality contained in 1 gallon of gasoline, or 33.7 kwh.)

For 2024, Audi has made a number of updates to spice up the large SUVs’ effectivity, together with lively grille shutters and particular consideration to airflow across the wheels and underneath the car. Total, the drag coefficients have fallen by 0.02, to 0.29 for the SUV and 0.27 for the Sportback. Equally essential, the brand new nickel-cobalt-aluminum (NCA) cells within the greater 114-kwh battery (106 kwh usable) ship an estimated EPA vary ranking of 300 miles for no less than one model.

Certainly, in my 175 miles of driving, I noticed higher efficiencies: 2.3 to 2.4 mi/kwh. However—and it’s a giant however—the drive route contained lower than 15 miles of freeway driving, which means the majority of the journey was achieved at speeds nearer to 55 mph than the 75-80 mph that’s customary on California highways. In December, Inexperienced Automobile Stories recorded 2.5 mi/kwh in varied Q8 E-Tron variations in a drive occasion on Lanzarote within the Canary Islands—at even decrease common speeds.

Audi has raised the charging fee of the brand new Q8 e-tron to maintain cost occasions roughly the identical, even with the higher-capacity battery pack. The onboard Stage 2 charger is rated at 11 kw, although some plugs could not be capable to present that. We did not get an opportunity to fast-charge the take a look at automobiles, however Audi says it has raised the height DC charging fee of its 400-volt electrical structure from 150 kw to 170 kw. As earlier than the Q8 e-trons can cost from 10-80% in as little as 31 minutes.

Chalk up a professional enchancment in effectivity, however with an asterisk. EPA effectivity scores aren’t but out there. We’ll anticipate the EPA numbers and a week-long take a look at drive that features highways earlier than passing ultimate judgment.

2024 Audi Q8 E-Tron

2024 Audi Q8 E-Tron

2024 Audi Q8 E-Tron

Can Audi conquer Tesla?

With gross sales of 1,530 models in 2023, the large E-Tron SUV pair—now stickering from $76,000 together with supply—has grow to be the pricier elder sibling of the higher-volume This autumn E-Tron vary that begins at about $51,000.

Might the up to date E-Trons lure away luxurious patrons whose Mannequin Xes at the moment are a number of years previous? Actually the Audis are extra historically luxurious, they usually provide a longtime nationwide community of sellers to supply service the place wanted.

The issue is that Tesla drivers have grow to be used to the ever present, seamless, ultra-reliable Supercharger fast-charging community that will now be the one largest benefit of proudly owning a Tesla. The Audis—and each different non-Tesla EV—depend on a patchwork assortment of competing DC fast-charging networks now engaged in a land seize that prioritizes new installations over protecting the stations truly operating and able to charging any EV that drives up.

When a pair of EV reporters requested Audi executives the way it deliberate to compete with Tesla’s Supercharging benefit on the drive program, they pointed to the three years of limitless free quick charging on the fast-expanding Electrify America community that comes with any Q8 E-Tron. Questioned intimately about that community’s rising unreliability, with multiple in 5 charging makes an attempt unable to finish as measured by JD Energy in a March 2023 report, the execs steered Audi’s EV homeowners will do the majority of their charging at house.

That’s true, however it misses the purpose. A Tesla SUV can do an extended street journey with out the driving force having to fret {that a} scheduled charging cease will land them at chargers which are useless, broken, underneath restore, or downrated. Audi EV homeowners don’t presently have that confidence.

Audi’s response? “Our patrons have a number of autos, to allow them to all the time select to make use of a gasoline mannequin for these occasional lengthy journeys. They’ll get pleasure from a superb electrical automotive for day by day use.” That’s discouraging for 2023, however it helps reply my unique query: Tesla homeowners could also be drawn to the Q8 E-Tron’s options, efficiency, and different elements, however lots of them gained’t swap till nationwide CCS quick charging is as dependable and ubiquitous as Supercharging.

In the present day, that appears a good distance away.

Audi offered airfare and lodging for Motor Authority to deliver you this firsthand drive report.