Audi’s First Electric Vehicle is Nearing its Demise
The days of the Audi Q8 e-tron are numbered. Initially launched for the 2019 model year simply as the Audi e-tron, then renamed for 2024, the luxury brand’s first electric SUV is now facing declining sales globally and will soon be eliminated.
Following rumours of the Q8 e-tron’s demise from earlier this year, Reuters is reporting that production will end on February 28, 2025. In fact, the entire Brussels plant in Belgium will be closed by Volkswagen AG as the German automaker implements major cost-cutting moves.
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No other factory on the planet builds the Q8 e-tron and Audi won’t be looking for a new site, according to the report. The company has yet to make an official announcement, mind you.
The Q8 e-tron, currently sold as a 2025 model in Canada, is available in SUV and coupe-like Sportback body styles, each one offering a sportier SQ8 e-tron model. Maximum range is 409-476 km depending on the configuration—numbers that are bested by various competitors including the BMW iX and Cadillac Lyriq.
Is a successor part of the plans? In the short term, Audi seems to be focusing on the all-new 2025 Q6 e-tron and SQ6 e-tron, slightly smaller electric SUVs offering up to 513 km of range according to Natural Resources Canada.
In the longer term, Audi has previously extended to 2033 its deadline for building only new electric models. Back in July, CEO Gernot Döllner told British media outlet Autocar that the phase-out of internal combustion engines will take more time than expected. He said the company wants to be “flexible” and put more emphasis on plug-in hybrids in the coming years, including in North America.