Recently, I made a video about the new plug-in versions of the Audi A3. And I'm having some kind of déja vu right now,
because once again I'm next to an Audi with a hybrid drivetrain. Sure, it's a totally different kind of Audi.
I mean, this is an enormous four-wheel drive SUV instead of a small front-wheel drive hatchback. But again, it's all about the hybrid drivetrains.
Again, it's two of them. The Q8 55 TFSIe and the 60 TFSIe. When it comes to the technology, it's pretty much the same drivetrain.
Both have the same turbocharged 3.0-litre V6 petrol engine, the same electric motor, which produce the exact the same amount of horsepower...
and torque. They're both connected to the same automatic gearbox and they have the same quattro-four wheel-drive system.
In short, it's the software that makes this 60 TFSIe produce 462 horsepower and makes the 55 TFSI produce a little less.
And because I was very sensible with the A3 and took it easy, I allowed myself to go all the way with the most powerful Q8 plug-in;
the 60 TFSIe. And I won't feel guilty about it, because it has a plug so it's got an A-label.
That's kind of a problem right there, because this is quite the hypocritical car. Don't get me wrong, I'm all for plug-in hybrids.
I think that's a very good step for people who want to transition from petrol-powered cars.
For people who don't have a driveway with a private charging station or people who only have 230V-ports available.
Maybe they have to drive long distances and they don't want to be relying on quickcharge-stations.
If you consider those people, it's a very good thing that plug-in hybrids exist. And if you look at the A3,
which can do around 50 fully electric kilometres on a single charge, after which it'll do 16 km per litre of fuel.
So if you travel short distances and you're able to keep all journeys within that 50 km-margin, you'll be alright.
Whilst having the easy and fast range from a car with a combustion engine.
In this Audi Q8 however, things are a bit different. First of all, the electric range is smaller. It has a battery pack of 17,8 kWh,
which is bigger than the 13 kWh in the Audi A3. On the other hand, the car is a lot bigger than the A3. So you should be happy with 40 km.
And when the combustion engine kick in, you should be really happy if you're able to reach 10 kilometres per litre.
That's not a bad thing, if you consider that this car produces 462 horsepower and weighs so much that it has its own gravity.
I mean, back in the day you needed a big 5.0-litre V8 to get the same power output, and it would've been a lot thirstier. But you do have to admit,
that A-label kind of gets a different color now. Also, I don't believe that people who spend this kind of money on a big SUV,
only drive short distances. This is the kind of car you buy to drive for very long distances. It's nice and comfortable, but the amount of...
electrical kilometres in the total distance will be pretty small as well. So everything put together, this won't save the world. And that...
makes it a hypocritical car. But it's a lovely hypocritical car. The 3.0-litre V6 with an electric motor and an 8-speed automatic gearbox...
and four-wheel drive make for a very smooth combination. You can make very big leaps without too much effort.
Even when the petrol engine has to kick in, you'll hear a nice V6-rumble far, far away.
It just feels so powerful. When the petrol engine kicks in, it feels incredibly smooth. Only a tiny amount of delay before it leaps forward.
But it does have a lovely drive. Also, the chassis is incredibly comfortable. The 60 TFSIe has air suspension as standard,
there's lots of electronics aboard... I mean, it's all done by the Audi-way. You can feel it's heavy, especially in the nose, and you will know...
it's a big car. It heaves about pretty much as well. But in a big SUV like this it doesn't matter as much as in an Audi A6 or something.
With an A6, you can say that a BMW 5-series is just as comfortable whilst being much more dynamic at the same time.
In a big SUV like this, those dynamics don't matter that much. There's comfort, there's a certain distance in the steering wheel,
it all fits the picture very well. And above all else, it's a great car to drive. It's spacious, the finishing is very good,
you're allowed to tow up to 3.500 kg. So it's a big car, a versatile car, but a very expensive car as well.
This 60 TFSIe starts at €120.000, let that sink in. All done? Good, because you still have to select all of the options.
Anyway, everything for the environment. Right?