Audi to introduce Q8 e-tron, its electric SUV, in India next month
New Delhi, India According to a senior company official, Audi will launch the electric SUV Q8 e-tron in India next month to expand its electric vehicle portfolio in the country. On August 18, the company will launch its Q8 e-tron in two body types: Q8 e-tron SUV and Q8 e-tron Sportback, with a 114kW battery offering more range than the current e-tron, which has a 95 kW battery.
“We’re strengthening our (electric vehicle) product portfolio and (bringing) what’s available globally to our customers in India,” Audi India Head Balbir Singh Dhillon told PTI.
Whatever makes a positive business case, he said, “We want to bring in India, and with the Q8 e-tron we want to strengthen our (EV) portfolio with what is the latest available across Audi’s offering.”
Dhillon stated that the Q8 e-tron is being launched in India in the same cycle that it is being launched globally, emphasizing the significance of the vehicle.
“So, we are very positively looking towards this model to strengthen our EV range in India,” he added.
Audi India’s current electric vehicle lineup includes the e-tron 50, e-tron 55, e-tron Sportback 55, e-tron GT, and RS e-tron GT.
He stated that the Q8 e-tron will be imported as a fully built unit and will be one of the portfolio’s top-end variants.
Audi had decided to concentrate on petrol and electric vehicles as part of a global strategy to become an all-electric vehicle company by 2033.
“We are focusing on the same. With the Q8 e-tron, we are starting our journey with the next generation (electric) cars. Subsequently, in the coming years, we’d also see more electric cars making their way to India,” Dhillon said.
He stated that in India, Audi’s electric vehicles in the luxury segment are gaining traction despite being sold at an average price range of Rs 1.5 crore and catering to a very limited segment of customers.
“The percentage of electric cars that we sell in terms of our total number is still very low but this is only growing and hopefully in the coming times it will go further. Eventually one day we will become an all-electric car company. So the focus remains to make e-tron a stronger brand in India.”
However, he said, “acceptability of electric cars, including e-tron is quite positive, not just in the metro cities, but in category B and category C towns, where electric cars are finding their flavor, and there is a lot of positivity that we have from customers across the board and that is helping us grow our volumes”.
Audi reported a 97% increase in retail sales in India in the first half of 2023, with 3,474 units sold compared to the same period last year. Audi India sold 4,187 units in 2022, up from 3,293 units in 2021, a 27.14 percent increase.
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Content Credit: The Economics Times