Audi e-Tron: EVs Whose Actions Speak Louder Than Its Electric Motors

As with a lot of automakers, Audi is on a path toward an all-electric future. The thing is since this is what almost every other automaker has set out to do in the coming years, where does Audi fit in the realm of electric vehicles (EVs)? These days, as automakers hone their EV commitment, the promise of instant acceleration, silent drivetrains, and a refined driving experience becomes a commodity as opposed to a novelty. With that in mind, what’s novel in an Audi e-tron EV that sets itself apart from other EVs?

How EVs Have Set An Equalizer

With no internal combustion engine (ICE) or multi-geared transmission to engineer and calibrate, an affordable EV from the likes of BYD will inevitably feel similar to a multi-million Peso EV from a brand like Audi or even BMW in terms of power delivery. Both have instant torque and a silent, refined drive. But that’s where the similarities end and the distinction of Audi’s e-tron models begin.

Basically, the electric drivetrain has set an equalizer to all automotive brands, mainstream, and luxury alike, but the areas where EV brands can still set themselves apart are in terms of refinement and most importantly in a brand like Audi–handling.

But This Is How Audi Stood Out

Audi has built its reputation surrounding its legendary quattro all-wheel drive (AWD) system, and its EVs have been built around this legendary system. Of course, as an EV, there’s no need for driveshafts to connect the two axles. The connection this time is all electronic, which enables instantaneous response in terms of how the vehicle shuffles its power across the car’s four wheels. The result? An electric SUV that can willingly dance on track–defying the physics that should’ve limited its handling capabilities.

Of course, there’s no getting around its more than two-tonne weight, but this is where Audi’s expertise in developing a vehicle that puts the driving experience at the forefront is highlighted. Hustling the Q8 e-tron around Clark Speedway is an idea you probably didn’t expect would bode well in such a vehicle, but here we are, blistering through the corners as if the Q8 e-tron was a much more agile vehicle. There’s really something with how a brand like Audi manages to tune its suspension and the quattro AWD system to defy the laws of physics and make the Q8 e-tron not just a relaxing car on long drives, but one that can willingly dance on track if you want it to.

There’s also the novelty of the instant torque that an EV provides, and the Audi Q8 e-tron is no exception. Yet, even in the power delivery, Audi somehow managed to add a bit of distinction to the EV drivetrain’s behavior. The acceleration of the Q8 e-tron’s dual-motor system can be brutal if you want it, yet at the same time, the throttle is easy to control if you need it as you enter and exit through Clark’s sweeping and flowing corners. The brakes and steering are more than up to the task, and with regenerative braking as with all EVs, no energy is wasted as this charges the battery.

Oh, and because the Q8 e-tron is an SUV, you’re probably wondering how it will fare through floods. Thankfully, this is a question that was easily answered thanks to the water-wading test, where we drove an e-tron SUV (the pre-facelift version of the Q8 e-tron) through a pool with knee-deep wateer In theory, an EV should be more resistant to floods since there’s less need for vents and air intakes (there is no engine, after all), which therefore results in a more enclosed vehicle structure. However, you still have to remember that you shouldn’t deliberately bring any car to a flooded area, but if there’s a dire need to, you can be reassured that an Audi e-tron EV SUV has a high chance of surviving floods.

Electrifying Fun

Finally, we now head into the e-tron GT. Sharing the same J1 platform as the Porsche Taycan, the Audi e-tron GT is the brand’s sportiest EV to date. It’s also perhaps one of the most jaw-droppingly gorgeous models to ever come out of Ingolstadt. It’s got the right ingredients to look like a vehicle worthy of a child’s poster. Thankfully, the driving experience matches the e-tron GT’s sultry exterior looks.

Unsurprisingly, the Audi e-tron GT will feel more athletic than the Q8 e-tron. After all, it sits low to the ground and offers a very cocooned driving experience. Where the Audi brand identity has been retained is with the well-designed quattro AWD system for the EV age–shuffling once again the power to which wheel needs it the most. But in the e-tron GT, the quattro system is more willing to play around with a somewhat rear-biased power delivery that lets the e-tron GT adjust its trajectory through the throttle.

Also unsurprising is the acceleration. Likewise, the Audi e-tron GT possesses the instant torque that EVs are known for, but there’s a distinct direct feel that you get with the e-tron GT that you won’t get in any other EV (except perhaps the similarly-engineered Taycan). EVs usually only have a single-speed gearbox due to an electric motor’s broad power band, but the e-tron GT shares the same two-speed gearbox as the Taycan. Designed for increasing EV efficiency at high speeds whilst adding a bit of driving engagement when driving on track, this single ingredient makes the e-tron GT feel more natural due to the added gear change sensation that you would otherwise feel in an ICE car.

And then there’s the handling. Direct and agile are adjectives that you’d easily describe the Audi e-tron GT. Yet it maintains the grippy and confidence-inspiring handling of what an EV with quattro AWD can only achieve. It’s a surprising level of AWD consistency that is maintained across the two models, yet with their unique take on the two models since one is a sporty four-door sedan while the other is a high-riding SUV with an increased focus on all-weather capability.

EVs With Distinct AWD Feel

So, how does Audi stand out in the EV age? Well, by developing its quattro AWD system for the EV age, Audi’s e-tron range of EVs set itself apart through the driving experience. The e-tron GT and Q8 e-tron may have their unique driving feel, but what’s consistent is the reassurance of the all-weather grip provided by the quattro AWD system. By building on top of its legendary AWD system and complementing it with a well-engineered body structure, suspension, and steering calibration, Audi’s broad range of EVs are able to carve their own identity whilst still maintaining a distinct driving identity whose actions speak louder than its electric motors.