According to a senior business official, the German luxury automaker Audi will introduce its electric SUV Q8 e-tron in India next month to expand its line-up of electric vehicles there. On August 18, the business will introduce the Q8 e-tron, which will come in two body variants Q8 e-tron SUV and Q8 e-tron Sportback, and have a 114kW battery that offers a longer range than the current e-tron’s 95 kW battery.
The Q8 e-tron is being introduced in India within the same cycle as it is being introduced elsewhere in the world, according to Dhillon, underscoring the importance of the Indian market. “So, we are very positively looking towards this model to strengthen our EV range in India,” he continued.
What is Audi India’s current ev lineup?
The current lineup of electric vehicles from Audi India includes the e-tron 50, e-tron 55, e-tron Sportback 55, e-tron GT, and RS e-tron GT. According to Dhillon, the Q8 e-tron will be imported as a completely assembled vehicle and will be one of the most expensive models available.
What is Audi’s global strategy?
By 2033, Dhillon claims, Audi will stop producing vehicles powered by internal combustion engines (ICE) and instead concentrate solely on electric vehicles (EVs). The business will discontinue making existing models powered by ICE. From 2033 forward, it will shift to selling only electric vehicles.
“On the same, we are concentrating. We are beginning our journey towards the next generation of (electric) cars with the Q8 e-tron. Consequently, more electric automobiles would arrive in India in the upcoming years, according to Dhillon.
Dhillon claimed that despite selling for an average price range of Rs 1.5 crore, Audi’s EVs in the luxury market are gaining popularity. He said that only a small portion of the client base is being serviced.
“While still relatively small relative to the total number of cars we sell, the percentage of electric vehicles is rising, and hopefully will continue to do so in the future. We’ll eventually transition to being an all-electric vehicle manufacturer. Making e-tron a stronger brand in India is still the major goal, he said. According to Dhillon, municipalities in categories B and C as well as urban areas are accepting of EVs, including the e-tron.