Here’s Why Audi Q8 e-tron SUV Assembly Could End Early

• Audi says Q8 e-tron production could end early at its Brussels, Belgium, plant, citing a drop in demand for luxury EVs.

• The Q8 e-tron was updated extensively in 2023 but is now the oldest EV model in Ingolstadt's lineup.

• Audi has said the location of the Brussels plant would pose difficulties in repurposing it to produce another model, hinting at possible closure.

The Audi Q8 e-tron was just updated a year ago, but the automaker is already mulling ending production early. And not only is Audi considering ceasing production of this particular electric model, but it could also end up reworking the factory in Belgium that produces it.

After a couple weeks of speculation, the automaker confirmed it is considering what it calls a restructuring of the Brussels plant following a possible early end of Q8 e-tron and Sportback production.

The culprit, Audi revealed, is the decline in demand in this segment.

"Audi is witnessing a global decline in customer orders in the electric luxury class segment," the automaker said in a statement. "This affects the Q8 e-tron and Q8 Sportback e-tron models, which roll off the production line in Brussels."

The Q8 e-tron, originally badged simply as the e-tron, has been on sale since 2019, but in that time it has faced some significant headwinds. The 2023 update gave the model a significantly larger 114-kWh battery in addition to faster charging, with the SUV still leaning on the side of comfort and interior tech over straight-line performance.

Since its debut, Audi's pricey electric flagship has also been suspected of seeing only lukewarm demand in the marketplace, so hints of its possible early demise were not particularly surprising.

In 2023, Audi sold 8,551 Q8 e-trons in the US, lagging behind direct competitors such as the BMW iX, Mercedes EQE and EQS, Cadillac Lyriq, and Rivian R1S, as well as the smaller Audi Q4 e-tron, according to Wards Intelligence data. For context, sales for the Rivian R1S nearly reached 20,000 units last year.

The automaker has since fielded the Q4 e-tron and Sportback, and is preparing for the market launch of the Q6 e-tron based on the new PPE platform, with both models expected to attract a wider audience in Europe and other key regions.

The possible restructuring of Audi's Brussels plant, however, could also be seen as the latest bit of evidence for a wider luxury EV slump observed over the past two years, which has already prompted some drastic measures by other automakers.

The Brussels plant, located near the city center, has suffered from high production and logistics costs, Audi has revealed, and would be difficult to retool for producing other models. The end of assembly operations has been named as one of the possibilities for the plant.

"The announcement of the intention does not mean that a decision has been made. Nevertheless, this news has been felt very profoundly by the employees in Brussels and by me too," said Volker Germann, CEO of Audi Brussels.

The arrival of the new Q6 e-tron could spell the end for Q8 e-tron production, as the two SUVs will be spaced rather closely in size and price, with one underpinned by a brand new platform shared with Porsche.

Is the luxury electric SUV market oversaturated with expensive choices at the moment, or is the selection just about right for the demand? Let us know what you think in the comments below.