How the Audi Q8 E-Tron Calmed My Range Anxiety
It must have been divine intervention that, on the week that I needed to go to Zambales to attend the 10-year wedding anniversary and vow renewal of a balikbayan friend from the U.S., I had the Audi Q8 e-tron scheduled for a test drive. It was the perfect opportunity not just to take the car out of the city so it can really stretch its legs, but also to face head on something many motorists fear about fully electric vehicles—range anxiety.
Sundowners Beach Club in Botolan is about 220 kilometers from Quezon City. A fully charged Q8 e-tron, according to its published specs, can go over 580 kilometers on a single full charge. So theoretically, I should be fine. But there’s always discrepancies between ideal scenarios and real-world driving, so this was going to be a genuine test for Audi’s luxury SUV.
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First things first: the Q8 exudes power and presence. The updated grille now features Audi’s new 2D logo and an LED light bar that stretches across the front. The lines are muscular and aerodynamic, and, at 4.9 meters long and just under two meters wide, it’s a proper SUV with road presence, but it doesn’t feel bulky.
Having driven full EVs before, I knew what to expect: an incredibly quiet motor that sometimes almost feels like it’s not even there, but engaging and powerful nonetheless. The Audi Q8 e-tron was no different. It features dual electric motors that deliver up to 408 horsepower and 664 Nm of torque, offering surprising power and acceleration. This car moves, and it does so in near silence. In fact, the car accelerates from zero to 100 kph in just 5.6 seconds. There are no engine rumbles and noticeable gear shifts—just clean, linear acceleration that makes overtaking on the winding Subic-Clark-Tarlac Expressway a breeze.
Inside, the Q8 e-tron is unmistakably Audi: clean lines, high-quality materials, and three high-resolution screens that dominate the dashboard. There’s a 12.3-inch virtual cockpit behind the wheel, the upper 10.1-inch infotainment screen, and a lower 8.6-inch display for climate and vehicle settings. All are intuitive, snappy, and well-integrated with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.
For a certified audiophile, I appreciated the incredible sound quality inside the cabin, thanks to Audi’s Bang & Olufsen premium sound system. My road trip playlist—from Jack Johnson and John Mayer to Valley and Sub-Radio—never sounded better. It’s the kind of audio setup that makes you want to drive longer, just to hear one more track. Other notable standouts: adaptive cruise control and lane-keeping assist features, that made the long highway stretches less taxing.
As mentioned, Audi promises a range of up to 580 kilometers on a single charge, which meant I had more than enough juice for the trip from Metro Manila to Botolan. Arriving at the venue, the indicator said battery was just over 50 percent. Sundowners Resort is actually equipped with an EV charger in its parking lot; however, the plug wasn’t compatible with the Audi unit. That was too bad as using Audi’s 170 kW DC fast charger would have taken the battery charge up from 10 percent to 80 percent in just over 30 minutes.
Instead, I used the alternative AC wall box charger that could plug in any home electrical outlet. Charging it overnight was slow, but it did yield a 72-percent charge when I woke up the next day.
I had time to drive the Q8 e-tron to the beach for a quick sunrise photo session before heading back to Manila. Yes, there is a wide variety of EVs available in the market today, but the Q8 stands above for combining luxury, practicality, and green responsibility without compromise. While the country is slowly catching up with infrastructure to support EV adoption, Audi is one of the few brands that’s not just dropping electric cars into the market, but is actually building support ecosystems around them.
By the time I pulled up to my house back in Quezon City, battery charge was at a decent 31 percent. In other words, not only was my range anxiety calmed, but I don’t think I even seriously had it the whole time I had the Q8 e-tron. It became much easier to imagine driving it for short distances in the city and just charging it every couple of days. That’s a premium SUV that will actually save you money in the long run.
The Audi Q8 E-tron starts at P6.25 million for the base 50 Quattro variant and goes up to P7.25 million for the top-spec 55 Quattro model. The Sportback version also starts at P6.25 million.
