Audi E-Tron facelift teased in camouflage

UPDATE, December 19: Q8 E-Tron driven!

Following its unveiling in November, we’ve now driven the updated Audi Q8 E-Tron (the SUV formerly known as ‘E-Tron’). Get our full story at the link below.

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The story to here

November 2022: Renamed Audi Q8 E-Tron revealed

Audi’s facelifted E-Tron, now known as the Q8 E-Tron, has been revealed. It has no relation to the existing Audi Q8, of course, but giving it a ‘Q’ name at least now brings it in line with the growing E-Tron line, including the Q4 E-Tron and E-Tron GT. Get the full story at the link below.

The story to here

Audi teased a facelifted E-Tron SUV in camouflage at the E-Cannonball rally event in Hamburg, Germany last week.

Although Audi did not directly refer to the vehicle as the facelifted E-Tron, its body shape, camouflage and the ‘prototype’ script on the bonnet all-but confirms this is an updated E-Tron.

The pictured vehicle debuts a new ‘single-frame’ grille with an open mesh upper. There are also updated air curtains, different front valance and side-skirt design. The wheels are painted black, but appear similar to the current car’s design.

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Additionally, the LED lighting signatures look very similar to the current car’s, though Audi claims there are innovations. Perhaps similar functionality to the facelifted Q5’s animated OLEDs.

When will the facelifted E-Tron debut?

The E-Tron SUV launched globally in 2018 and Australia in July 2019. Audi sticks to a 6-7 year product cycle with a mid-life refresh, meaning the four-year-old E-Tron is indeed due a facelift before eventual replacement in the mid-decade.

Audi has begun transitioning its EVs to similar names as its ICE vehicles with the launch of the Q4 E-Tron – hopefully coming to Australia soon – Chinese-market Q5 E-Tron and forthcoming Q6 E-Tron.

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Given the E-Tron SUV’s size proximity to the Q8 (and rumours from Europe that Audi will use that name for the car’s successor), the updated vehicle may adopt the Q8 E-Tron badge early. However, Audi is still referring to it as the E-Tron.

More driving range likely

The facelifted E-Tron will continue with EV-converted MLB Evo underpinnings, rather than MEB, the VW group’s in-development SSP platform, or Porsche’s premium PPE underpinnings. That means max 155kW DC charging remains.

However, according to an Autocar report from November 2021, the E-Tron SUV is in for a battery upgrade. The current E-Tron has driving range claims between 341km-441km (WLTP). The report claims upwards of 600km of driving range will be possible in the future.

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With the E-Tron’s WLTP vehicle consumption rating of 19.0kWh/100km a 114kWh battery would be necessary to achieve that driving range.

Audi has also claimed improvements to its motor efficiency for the updated E-Tron though, so it remains to be seen how much larger the updated vehicle’s battery will get than the current 86.5kWh (usable) battery.