The e-tron was the first dedicated electric vehicle from Audi
It will be replaced by the Q8 e-tron in 2026
Like the current e-tron, the Q8 e-tron will have a Sportback version
Audi is accelerating the electrification of its lineup by introducing new models, but the e-tron SUV, its first dedicated electric vehicle, will also be treated to a full refresh in the next years.
The Audi e-tron was introduced for the 2018 model year, so it is beginning to be a bit old because it is in a segment where things are moving fast and competing models are added left and right.
To remedy this, Audi treated the e-tron to a minor makeover for 2022 that will keep it competitive and modern for a few years. Since this won’t suffice for ever, the company is working on the e-tron’s replacement.
This next electric SUV will be called the Q8 e-tron in order to make it fit with the rest of the automaker’s naming convention and thankfully stopping the confusion created by the e-tron name, that is also used on every other electric Audi.
Few details are known yet since this model is only scheduled to arrive in 2026, but we know that it will be offered both in a regular and a Sportback version, like almost every other Audi SUV, including the current e-tron.
We also know it will ride on a dedicated EV platform instead of the modified MLB that is used in the current model.
A prototype that was spied on the road is equipped with camera side mirrors, but this feature might not be available in North America, due to regulations.