Maybe it’s the nature of the know-how and the strain of change, however EVs appear to age extra quickly than their now doomed ICE forebears. Can it actually be 5 years since WIRED first tried the Audi E-tron?

Almost. So it’s time for a serious refresh, one thing this massive Audi might actually use as key rivals such because the BMW iX and Mercedes EQE have since entered the fray. Note that they’re each purpose-built, clean-sheet EVs that share little to nothing by way of their structure with present combustion-engined siblings.

However, though the Q8 E-tron is renamed to cement its standing on the high of an EV line-up that features the Q4 E-tron and the incoming Q6 E-tron, it’s nonetheless primarily based on the identical platform that you just’ll discover beneath the fossil-fuel-powered Q7 SUV and the associated Porsche Cayenne, each of the VW family.

The exterior visible adjustments introduce some EV-ness into Audi’s more and more expressive design language, to the extent that even non-brand aficionadoes ought to be capable to spot that change is afoot. There’s a brand new grille, the Audi brand is extra outstanding, and the bumpers entrance and rear are redesigned. A light-weight bar now stretches between the headlights, and there’s a brand new alloy wheel design.

The E-tron can be obtainable as a Sportback, although I can’t assist considering that each one SUV-coupes are considerably specious. WIRED wouldn’t commerce the common automobile’s longer rear and larger versatility for this supposed fashion assertion.

Five-Year Service

More essential are the tech upgrades. Five years is a very long time on this planet of electrification, and battery vitality density is all the time bettering. The entry-level 50 model sees its usable capability rise from 71 to 89 kWh, whereas the 55 mannequin (and performance-oriented SQ8 E-tron) goes from 89 to 106 kWh, which can be greater than the approaching Kia EV9. Now we’re speaking.

The motors have additionally been revised, and the automobile’s aerodynamic effectivity additional optimized. Audi claims a variety of “up to 330 miles” for the 55, and DC charging speeds are improved too. These have gone from 150 to 170 kW, although that’s nonetheless a way off the 240-kW restrict loved by the wonderful Genesis GV70 and others. The battery will go from 10 to 80 p.c cost in 31 minutes, however this time that may’t beat the EV9’s 800V electrical structure, which may do the identical in below 25 minutes.

The Q8 E-tron has additionally gained some dynamic enhancements. The steering is quicker and extra alert, the suspension has been finessed—all variations trip on air springs—and the steadiness and traction management algorithms have been tweaked. The 55 has a complete of 402 bhp and 490 pound-feet of torque, and it sits between the 335-bhp 50 model and the 496-bhp SQ8. That one beneficial properties a 3rd motor.

Imperious, Not Interactive

The dual-motor 55 is a automobile that has an imperious really feel with out being what you may name interactive. But then no electrical SUV is actually working off a mission assertion to entertain—not least as a result of, whatever the chassis wizardry or engineering smarts at play, the E-tron weighs north of two.5 tons, and the physics at work are immutable.