Audi Q8 e-tron SUV drove from Manila to Baguio (and back) without recharging

Audi Philippines distributor PGA Cars just proved that electric vehicles (EVs) can go the distance without owners having to worry about range anxiety. This comes after the automaker held a groundbreaking feat that saw the Audi Q8 e-tron 55 SUV complete a drive from Metro Manila to Baguio and back without having to recharge its battery.

With four people on board, the Q8 e-tron started the daylong drive from Audi Greenhills on EDSA, Mandaluyong City, with a fully charged battery. The vehicle then cruised through EDSA and entered NLEX with its drive modes set in Efficiency along with air-conditioning turned on. Upon reaching SCTEX, the vehicle still had 85% of charge left with 382 kilometers still to go on its way to Baguio.

On the open stretches of TPLEx, Audi’s flagship electric SUV wafted over the tarmac, its air suspension soaking in road imperfections. Range drive mode proved most suitable in this condition, keeping the ride comfortable while also aiding energy consumption. In fact, the Q8 e-tron offers several driving modes, each one suited to a particular condition or on driver preference. The modes alter power delivery, suspension settings, ride heights, and other factors, like reducing energy allotted for convenience features.

Past the northern expressways and onto the national highway, the Q8 e-tron faced the most challenging part of the trip: the uphill drive on Marcos Highway to the City of Pines. Since hard acceleration and uphill drives are more demanding on an EV's battery, this stretch of road going up requires more considerable energy to climb up. When the EV finally arrived at Camp John Hay, the Q8 e-tron's battery had 40% of charge left after traveling for 263 kilometers.

While it seems the Audi already needs a recharge before heading back to Metro Manila, the Q8 e-tron has a neat trick up its sleeve, regenerative braking. On the descent from Baguio City, the Q8 e-tron’s recuperation function came into play. The system gathered kinetic energy as it helped decelerate the vehicle going downhill, turning this energy into electrical energy stored in the battery. because the Q8 e-tron more often relies on recuperation rather than on its disc brakes, the vehicle added energy to its battery upon reaching flat roads.

From just having 124 kilometers of range when it left the city limits of Baguio, it registered a 221-kilometer range as it made its way back to the expressways. While there are filling stations along the toll roads that come with AC/DC chargers for EVs, none of these convenient options were availed of since the Q8 e-tron still had 40% of charge left which translates to over 200 km of range that can still be used.

At the end of the journey back in Audi Greenhills, the vehicle had covered a total distance of 525 kilometers and still had energy to spare. This proves the real-world driving range of the Q8 e-tron.

“While combining luxurious features, everyday usability, and thrilling performance, the Audi Q8 e-tron models also offer a long driving range. “With a fully charged battery, these 100% electric vehicles are capable of traveling more than 500 kilometers. So we are confident owners can comfortably drive their Q8 e-tron to Baguio and back to Manila. These models are ideal for both city driving and out-of-town trips,” said Gian Paolo Brambilla, Audi Philippines Managing Director.

Besides having a combined system output of 408 PS with 664 Nm of torque from its electric motors, the Audi Q8 e-tron can travel long distances without having to worry about range anxiety.