FIRST-DRIVE REVIEW: 2024 Audi Q8 e-tron 50 -- Capable, comfortable and tailpipe emission-free

There is a lot to take in when it’s your first time riding or driving a European luxury car.

Certainly, premium Japanese cars like the Toyota Camry Hybrid offer refined progress. But when you’re paying for a car that costs as much as three Camrys, you best believe that European manufacturers will do everything to make you feel cocooned in sheer serenity.

The Germans, in particular, have been in this game for a very long time. From the heavy doors that feel like they belong in bank vaults to the scintillating scent of German leather, an Audi, BMW, Porsche or Mercedes-Benz promises nothing short of technical perfection.

And this is most apparent in the silence that a German car offers passengers – wind and road noise are kept to an absolute minimum, with the growl of the powerful engine actually adding to the pleasure of the ride.

But for those who want to fly the flag of Deutschland, all while enjoying absolutely no engine noise and producing zero emissions, there’s always the 2024 Audi Q8 e-tron. 

Yes, it can take a dip

Audi Philippines launched the brand’s flagship crossover electric vehicle (EV) on August 2023.

The carmaker set up a special driving course at the 30th East B Open Parking area in Bonifacio Global City (BGC) in Taguig City. Members of the media, along with the general public, were given the chance to test out the updated Q8 e-tron’s on-road and off-road capabilities.

As ever, racing legend Georges Ramirez and his excellent team were onsite to keep drivers in check. Georges himself rode shotgun as I took the Q8 e-tron 50 through various ramps that made full use of the crossover’s air suspension articulation and “quattro” all-wheel-drive system.

Even though there was wheel slip, the superb stability control system and the instant torque you get from an electric motor meant that progress through the ramps was dignified and steady.

But things got really fun when we took the Q8 e-tron out for a swim into a tub with 500 mm of water. As I eased the German EV in, Georges reassured me that the water-tight battery pack located under the floor meant that we wouldn’t fry to our doom.

Alas, he was right – the big Audi took a dunk without unceremoniously electrocuting me or Georges. And because there is no air intake or exhaust system, there are no places where water could drown a traditional internal-combustion engine.

Silent and planted

Up next, the on-road course, where we took the Q8 e-tron 50 around the streets of BGC.

My passenger this time was Audi Philippines’ EV ace Alex Pamplona, who really buttered me up with the Q8 e-tron’s marvelous surround-sound system and the glorious massaging seats.

As expected of an Audi, the big EV felt solid as a rock on the streets of the bustling business district. And the trick air suspension ironed out bumps and potholes without shaking my teeth out.

When we reached a winding section in the on-road course, Alex said I could open the taps a bit more. Having driven various EVs before, I was ready for the instant torque and responsiveness from the Q8 e-tron’s twin electric motors, which have a combined output of 340 PS and 664 Nm of torque.

What I wasn’t ready for was how stable this two-ton crossover was around corners, especially with the batteries under the floor substantially dropping the center of gravity. Put another way, it would take a monumental amount of carelessness behind the wheel to make this sport-utility vehicle tip over.

Braking action was reasonable for such a big car, all controlled by a nice, firm pedal. But a long-term test will tell us more about how this EV performs on the road.

A hit in its hands?

The ₱6,250,000 Audi Q8 e-tron 50 is priced far above what most ordinary Filipino car buyers would pay for a car, let alone an EV.

But as a fully electric luxury crossover, the Q8 e-tron comports itself very well – it combines the spaciousness and all-weather capability of the regular Audi Q8 with the German marque's innovative and eco-friendly EV technology.

And given that two in every three EVs sold since 2021 by PGA Cars, the official importer and distributor of Audi in the Philippines, are from the e-tron lineup, this updated Q8 e-tron 50 is likely to add to the German carmaker’s reputation locally for offering quality EVs.

However, a full test of the Audi Q8 e-tron 50 will tell more about its capabilities as a daily driver, particularly its claimed maximum WLTP range of 491 km.

What do you think of Audi’s big EV?

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