RANGE is a huge factor when considering an electric vehicle (EV), but why isn't this a major selling point in internal combustion engine (ICE) cars? Unlike gas stations, the network of charging stations is still in the development stage. It's a classic chicken-and-egg dilemma: should infrastructure be built first to encourage EV adoption, or vice versa? Until then, range will remain a key issue for EVs.
Today's EVs, however, have advanced to the point that their range can rival equivalent ICE cars. Recently, we drove an Audi Q8 e-tron 55 from Manila to Baguio and back — an impressive 526-kilometer (km) journey. The Q8 e-tron 55 features a dual-motor all-wheel-drive (AWD) layout with 408 horsepower and 664 Newton-meters of torque, accelerating this SUV from 0-100 kph in just 5.6 seconds. Equipped with a 106-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack, its WLTP-tested range is 582 km, while the more aerodynamic Sportback version can reach up to 600 km.