Here's How Long It Will Take To Charge A 2024 Audi Q8 E-Tron (And How Far It Will Go)
How far you can drive, and how long does it take to charge? These are the two big questions any potential electric vehicle buyer always wants answered. With huge variations in battery capacity, efficiency, and charging speed, the model of EV you drive could make a big difference in how often you're sitting waiting for a public charger to do its job. Audi knows that, and that's why when it upgraded its original e-tron luxury EV it addressed both range and charging questions.
For the 2024 Q8 e-tron SUV and Sportback, Audi didn't just update the name. Multiple changes were made in the name of improving range and performance, not least a higher-capacity battery. For the original SUV, Audi installed a 95 kWh battery, of which eventually 86 kWh was usable for driving. For this 2024 version, there's now a 114 kWh pack — of which 106 kWh is usable — that offers 23% more than its predecessor and is fitted as standard in North American versions of the EV.
Meanwhile, aerodynamic tweaks cut drag on both the SUV and Sportback versions of the Q8 e-tron, while a change to the electric motors made the rear motor more efficient — as well as more potent — and enabled the front motor to switch off without adding drag. The result of all this is a considerable uptick in driving range compared to the 2023 e-tron SUV and Sportback.
A big increase in range from the original Audi e-tron
For the 2024 Q8 e-tron SUV, that means the EPA range is now up to 285 miles. That's a hefty increase from the 226 miles that the old 2023 e-tron SUV was rated for.
It gets even better with the 2024 Q8 e-tron Sportback, which is now rated for 296 miles by the EPA. Audi also offers a no-cost Ultra package, which switches the standard wheels for a new aero design, among other tweaks. It's sufficient to push the Q8 e-tron Sportback Ultra to 300 miles of EPA range, a huge increase from the 225 miles that the old 2023 e-tron Sportback was rated for.
As with an electric vehicle, just how you drive will have a huge impact on how quickly you run through your battery power. In our own review of the 2024 Q8 e-tron Sportback, we saw an average of 2.4 miles per kWh with typical driving. That would work out to around 250 miles on a full charge.
Faster public charging, but the wait is the same
When it comes to recharging, meanwhile, the 2024 Q8 e-tron also saw some important improvements. While the battery may be larger this time around, the maximum DC fast charging speed has also increased. The electric Audi now supports up to 170 kW rates with compatible chargers, compared to the 150 kW of the outgoing e-tron.
That faster rate offsets the larger battery pack. In fact, the DC fast charging rate is about the same: Audi says that, with a 170 kW charger, it'll take about 31 minutes to charge the Q8 e-tron from 10% to 80%. Charging beyond that point will, as with any electric vehicle, slow down significantly.
When at home, the 2024 Q8 e-tron relies on a standard 9.6 kW 40A AC charger. That means a 0-100% charge takes around 13 hours, several hours slower than the outgoing EV because of that larger battery pack. An AC Charging Package, available on select Q8 e-tron trims, upgrades to a 19.2 kW 80A onboard charger, potentially halving the at-home charge rate — assuming you have a suitably potent Level 2 charger.