It was early morning when I rolled the Audi Q8 e, tron Sportback down the steep, shaded incline outside Rotenberg. The mist still clung to the vineyards, the half, timbered houses yawning open their shutters, and the town slowly waking to a Sunday rhythm. This wasn’t just another electric SUV test, it felt like a return to something familiar, but also a quiet evolution. Audi’s flagship electric SUV, now wearing the “Q8” badge, stood before me with the elegance of a coupe and the ambitions of a refreshed pioneer.
This wasn’t a radically reinvented vehicle. No fireworks or reboots. But that’s exactly what made it intriguing. Audi didn’t need to rip everything apart. They had to refine, recalibrate, and reaffirm. After all, the original e, tron from 2019 was already competent. Now, with more power, more range, and some honest rethinking, the Q8 e, tron Sportback had a second shot at leadership in a fiercely crowded field.
And there was no better place to test such ambitions than the Rotenberg curves, a real, world maze of elevation, off, camber corners, and open, road serenity where powertrain promises meet asphalt reality.
The Q8 e, tron Sportback: A Familiar Face With a New Depth
I’ve always found Audi’s design language elegant rather than aggressive, and the Q8 e, tron Sportback continues that legacy. At first glance, changes are subtle. The grille now sports a more intricate honeycomb pattern and wears a flatter, two, dimensional Audi badge. There’s something cleaner about the nose now, like it shaved and put on a tailored suit. From the side, the coupe, like silhouette retains its appeal, sleek, purposeful, and more dynamic than most traditional SUVs. Around back, not much has changed, and I didn’t mind.
The real transformation, however, isn’t in the styling. It’s under the skin. The battery’s bigger, the steering is tighter, the range is longer, and Audi claims it’s more efficient and more agile. My plan was to put every one of those claims to the test on the hills around Rotenberg, up steep gradients, through tight hairpins, and on the long sweepers where EVs live or die by their throttle finesse and regenerative braking.
Torque and Tranquility: A Sunday Morning Drive Turns Swift
I slipped the car into “Dynamic” mode and gave the accelerator a nudge. Instant, seamless torque surged forward, 408 horses and 664 Newton, meters pushing nearly 2.6 tons of SUV forward like it was skating. On paper, 0 to 100 in 5.6 seconds. On Rotenberg’s switchbacks, it felt just right, not violent, not sedate, just refined brute force under control.
What struck me wasn’t the speed itself. It was the silence, the weightless feeling at medium throttle, and the way the Q8 masked its mass. From 60 to 100 km/h, it needed just 3 seconds; overtaking on two, lane country roads happened almost telepathically. And even as the inclines grew steeper, the power never dwindled.
The steering, one of the major complaints in the first, generation e, tron, felt genuinely improved. It no longer felt disconnected or artificial. Audi sharpened the response, and on these rural roads, it rewarded me with precision. While you never forget the vehicle’s size, it responded with more composure than I expected. Understeer only crept in when pushing too hard into tighter turns, but for an SUV this size, the agility was respectable.
Ride comfort? Audi nailed it. Even on 21, inch wheels, the adaptive air suspension soaked up potholes and mid, corner bumps. It glided over broken tarmac without transmitting harshness through the cabin, and at autobahn speeds on the return stretch, it stayed calm, silent, and supremely stable.
Range Reality: Does the Bigger Battery Deliver?
If there was one glaring flaw in the original e, tron, it was the real, world range. Audi listened. The new Q8 e, tron Sportback 55 has been upgraded to a massive 114 kWh battery (106 kWh usable), and Audi claims up to 595 kilometers WLTP range. Ambitious, but how would it hold up when driven with enthusiasm through Rotenberg and then cruised on the Autobahn?
After a full charge at home (22 kW wall box optional, 11 kW standard), I started the test loop with a displayed range of 530 kilometers. After a day of mixed driving, dynamic country road sessions, some highway blasts, and moderate town driving, I covered 468 kilometers before plugging in again with 10% left in the tank.
Consumption averaged 22.7 kWh/100 km. Not quite WLTP, level, but deeply impressive given the terrain and driving style. On flatter ground and in Efficiency mode, I wouldn’t be surprised to push it past the 500 km mark consistently.
As for charging, DC charging peaked at 149 kW despite Audi’s claimed 170. Still, the curve stayed impressively flat up to 69% state of charge, meaning fewer slowdowns during fast, charging sessions. In 30 minutes, I recovered over 340 km of range, perfect for a quick lunch stop.
Interior Sophistication and the Screen Situation
Stepping inside the Q8 e, tron Sportback feels like entering a premium soundproof booth. Triple, screen layout, touch, heavy interfaces, and high, grade materials. The fit and finish? Classic Audi, tight tolerances, matte surfaces, and cool, toned minimalism.
There’s still a small learning curve with the haptic feedback touch controls, especially when adjusting climate settings while driving. But once muscle memory kicked in, everything fell into place.
I’m six feet tall, and both front and rear accommodations were excellent. Even with the sloping roofline of the Sportback, headroom in the back remained generous. The trunk, rated at 528 liters, swallowed my full, sized mountain bike (front wheel removed), helmet bag, and toolkit with room to spare. Rear seats down, I could’ve fit a second one.
Bonus points for the 50, liter frunk, perfect for keeping charging cables away from dirty gear, and the underfloor storage, which swallowed a surprise lunch bag and toolkit with ease.
Audi still offers those digital rearview mirrors as an option, and I had them on the test car. They look slick but feel awkward. My brain never fully trusted the screen placement and scaling. Give me glass any day.
The Verdict From Rotenberg: Evolution Over Revolution
After nearly 500 kilometers, one thing became clear: Audi didn’t reinvent the e, tron, it matured it. Where the original tried to impress through presence and prestige, the Q8 e, tron Sportback succeeds through polish and poise.
It’s not trying to be a Tesla or a sporty EV rebel. It’s an Audi through and through, quiet, composed, luxurious, and now genuinely competitive in range and dynamics. The fact that it can still thrill through mountain roads while offering long, distance capability, strong practicality, and refinement makes it more than relevant, it makes it desirable.
The new Q8 e, tron Sportback may not be radical, but it’s the kind of electric SUV you trust. A veteran now wearing a sharper suit, standing its ground against newer, flashier competition.
Technical Specifications: Audi Q8 Sportback e, tron 55 advanced quattro
All technical details are referenced in real time from Audi’s official site to uphold accuracy.
| Specification | Value |
| Engine | Dual electric motors |
| System Power | 300 kW (408 hp) |
| Torque | 664 Nm |
| Drive Type | Quattro (AWD) |
| Acceleration (0, 100 km/h) | 5.6 seconds |
| Top Speed | 200 km/h |
| WLTP Range | Up to 595 km |
| Real, World Tested Range | ~468 km |
| Battery Capacity (Gross/Net) | 114 / 106 kWh |
| Charging Power (DC) | Up to 170 kW (tested 149 kW) |
| Charging Power (AC) | 11 kW (22 kW optional) |
| Trunk Volume | 528 liters |
| Trunk Volume (Seats Folded) | 1,567 liters |
| Vehicle Length | 4,915 mm |
| Width | 1,937 mm |
| Height | 1,619 mm |
| Curb Weight | 2,585 kg |
| Braked Towing Capacity (12%) | 1,800 kg |
| Base Price (Germany) | €89,550 |
Conclusion: A Worthy Flagship for Audi’s Electric Era
This car doesn’t scream for attention, it earns it with substance. It won’t win drag races against a Model X Plaid or dazzle with wild gimmicks. But it doesn’t have to. The Q8 e, tron Sportback is about depth, not drama.
It delivers real, world usability, impressive comfort, excellent range, and a design that’s matured without aging. In the electric SUV space, where everyone wants to be radical, the Q8 quietly makes its case through refinement, quality, and honest engineering.
If you’re looking for an electric SUV that handles mountain roads as gracefully as it does family errands, the Q8 e, tron Sportback won’t disappoint. Audi’s electric veteran has indeed found new ambitions, and they’re backed by solid execution.
Is the Q8 e, tron Sportback a completely new model?
No. It’s a heavily updated version of the original Audi e, tron from 2019, now with a new name, more range, and improved handling.
What’s the biggest improvement over the old e, tron?
Battery size and range. The net battery capacity jumped to 106 kWh, with up to 595 km WLTP range, over 100 km more than before.
Is Q8 fun to drive?
Surprisingly, yes. Especially in Dynamic mode. The steering is sharper, and it handles winding roads better than you’d expect from a 2.6, ton SUV.
