Inside Audi SQ8 e-tron – the leading luxury electric vehicle with a battery that can charge in just 31 minutes

AUDI has been setting the standard for electric vehicles for almost a decade – and they’re showing no signs of stopping now.

With the introduction of the Audi e-tron in 2018, the four rings entered the age of luxury electric vehicles – and continue to storm ahead with their latest model.

In its latest offering, the car brand has created the new Audi Q-8 e-tron with improved aerodynamics, higher charging performance and a battery capacity of 330 miles in the SUV version and up to 343 miles in the Sportback.

And with its new Q8, the manufacturer is making a clear statement that its Audi Q8 e-tron is the top model among its electric cars.

Since the introduction of the Audi e-tron around four years ago and sales of 150,000 units, Audi has been following a systematic electric road map.

Its electric portfolio now comprises eight models; by 2026, it will have more than 20.

Markus Duesmann, Chairman of the Board of Management of Audi AG, said: “With our corporate strategy ‘Vorsprung 2030’, we’ve set a fixed date for our withdrawal from combustion engines and clearly decided that Audi will be a fully electric brand within 11 years.

“In the new Q8 e-tron, we were able to significantly increase both battery capacity and charging performance. This allowed us to achieve an optimal balance between energy density and charging capacity, as well as to increase efficiency.”

The two new models, the Audi Q8 e-tron and Q8 Sportback are identifiable as electric cars at first glance.

Customers can choose two different batteries; the battery of the Q8 50 e-tron has a storage capacity of 89 net kilowatt hours, while the most powerful version of the Q8 55 has 106 net kWh.

Thanks to an adjustment in the battery management system, the battery capacity usable for customers has increased as well.

At a high-powered charging station, the Audi Q8 50 e-tron⁴ reaches a maximum charging performance of 150 kW.

With the Q8 55 e-tron⁶ and SQ8 e-tron², the maximum charging performance increases to up to 170 kW.

And the larger battery can be charged from ten to 80 per cent in just 31 minutes – under ideal conditions, this corresponds to a range of up to 260 miles.

This model will be certified as net-carbon natural for customers in Europe and USA.

To minimise the environmental impact, Audi has used recycled materials for some components in the Audi Q8 e-tron.

In the interior, they used recycled materials for insulation, damping, and carpeting.

Also, some safety-related components that partially comprise mixed automotive plastic waste treated through a chemical recycling process are used for the first time – specifically, the plastic covers for the seatbelt buckles.

The Audi Q8 e-tron is now available to order in the UK, with prices starting at £97,500.

The car manufacturer is also giving a second life to electric car batteries; with the help of the German-Indian start-up Nunam, they have produced three electric rickshaws.

These vehicles are powered by used battery modules that spent their first life in an Audi e-tron.

Nunam cofounder Prodip Chatterjee explained: “There they will be made available to a non-profit organization. Women, in particular, will be able to use the all-electric rickshaws to transport their goods to market for sale without intermediaries.

“The old batteries are still extremely powerful. When used appropriately, second-life batteries can have a huge impact, helping people in challenging situations earn an income and gain economic independence – everything in a sustainable way.”