Audi is in the
midst of preparing a plug-in hybrid version of its flagship Q8 SUV, and a
prototype unit has been spotted doing winter tests by our spy photographers. If
you look closely, there’s a new charging port on the rear left fender, along
with rounded yellow stickers around the vehicle that indicate it’s a hybrid
test unit.
Now, it’s unclear
what exactly lurks underneath the surface, but the Q8 PHEV could be offered in
55 TFSI e or 60 TFSI e guises. The electrified powertrains were detailed at the
recently concluded Geneva show – the 55 TFSI e is powered by a 3.0 litre petrol-hybrid
V6 with a total system output of 363 hp and 500 Nm, whereas the 60 TFSI e makes
a whopping 443 hp and 699 Nm of torque.
The entry-level 50
TFSI e is powered by a 2.0 litre four-cylinder
petrol-hybrid engine with a total system output of 295 hp and 450 Nm. All three
electrified powertrains come with all-wheel drive/four-wheel drive as standard,
although 50 TFSI e models are able to decouple the rear wheels from the
drivetrain, effectively reducing mechanical drag for better efficiency.
As with the rest of
the plug-in hybrid Audis, the Q8 looks set to share the same 14.1 kWh
lithium-ion battery, which should deliver a pure electric range of over 40 km
(based on WLTP standards). The brake regeneration system – derived from the Audi
e-tron – is able to recover up to 80 kW, and a full charge via cable and a
7.2-kW charger will take about two hours. Expect the Q8 PHEV to debut sometime
this year.
