Audi Q8 e-tron was just introduced in Vietnam, but there are rumors that it may face discontinuation

The Audi e-tron model, now renamed as the Q8 e-tron, has been a "star" as the German luxury car manufacturer enters the era of electric vehicles, but it seems that this crossover model may not have much time left. The company has confirmed that it is considering discontinuing production of this model soon.

The German car manufacturer stated that this decision is a result of the global decline in demand for luxury electric vehicles.

The Q8 e-tron (formerly known as e-tron before 2023) is a mid-size luxury all-electric crossover, introduced in 2018 (Photo: Audi).

Audi mentioned that the Q8 e-tron and Q8 Sportback e-tron are affected by the sharp decline in demand, partly due to the introduction of newer electric vehicle models, such as the Q6 e-tron. The newcomer Q6 e-tron is cheaper, more modern, and has a longer operating range than the Q8 e-tron.

Therefore, it is not surprising that the Q8 e-tron is falling out of favor.

Furthermore, Audi stated that the company is facing the requirement to comprehensively restructure the factory in Brussels (Belgium), where they manufacture all-electric crossover models. High logistics costs and the layout of the factory are said to be difficult to change, as the plant is located near the city center.

Although it seems that Audi has decided to discontinue the Q8 e-tron and close the factory, Audi Brussels CEO Volker Germann emphasized: "Such an announcement does not mean that a decision has been made."

In the Vietnamese market, this model was just launched last month, with only the Audi Q8 e-tron 55 quattro Advanced version priced at 3.8 billion VND.

Audi Q8 e-tron at the launch event in Vietnam in June (Photo: Audi Vietnam).

The Audi Q8 e-tron 55 quattro Advanced features an electric motor with a maximum output of 408 horsepower and a maximum torque of 664Nm. The car can accelerate from 0-100km/h in 6.6 seconds, reduced to 5.6 seconds in Boost Mode.

The car uses a 114kWh Lithium-ion battery pack, allowing the vehicle to travel up to 582km on a full charge, according to WLTP standards.

With a 170kW DC fast charging system, after 31 minutes, the car can charge from 10% to 80%, enough to drive an additional 420km. If charging slowly at home, it takes about 10 hours with an 11kW AC charger and about 5 hours with a 22kW AC charger.