The Posh Audi E-Tron Lost Over 65% of Its Original Value

When writing, Audi's US portfolio of EVs comprises the e-tron GT, the RS e-tron GT, the Q4 e-tron, the Q4 Sportback e-tron, the Q8 e-tron, the Q8 Sportback e-tron, the SQ8 e-tron, and the SQ8 Sportback e-tron. Pre-tax and -fee prices start at $49,800 and go well over $147,000.

Audi plans on expanding this portfolio of three EVs in just two years because it will stop any internal combustion engine development by 2026. From that point forward, the German brand that rivals BMW and Mercedes-Benz will only launch EVs.

It might want to reconsider, though! Its first battery-electric ride, the 2019 e-tron, a crossover SUV that's now known as the Q8 e-tron, has lost 13% of its MSRP every year since its debut.

Five years ago, the conventional-looking Audi e-tron with futuristic underpinnings became available to US buyers at an MSRP of $74,800 for the Premium Plus trim and $80,095 for the Prestige version sans freight.

The crossover that slotted between the Q5 and the Q7 had a creased body and two motors. It put out 355 hp and 414 lb-ft of torque.

Options for everybody

The Sportback version with an arched roofline joined the automaker's ranks in 2020. Surprisingly, there was no MSRP change for the Premium Plus variant. The e-tron Sportback Prestige, however, cost $84,295 - $4,200 more than the normal e-tron.

In late 2021, the e-tron received a minor update that brought an increase in range. Audi also introduced the more affordable Premium trim, which dropped the MSRP to $67,000 for the e-tron and to $70,000 for the e-tron Sportback.

A year later, the SUV became $100 more expensive and received the Q8 moniker.

In 2023, the price climbed to $71,995 for the Q8 e-tron Premium and to $75,195 for the Q8 e-tron Sportback. The power output remained unchanged, while the range was again supposed to be slightly improved. But the tri-motor SQ8 e-tron and SQ8 Sportback e-tron pumped those power numbers to 496 hp and 718 lb-ft of torque.

Today, the Q8 e-tron has a starting price of $74,400 when specced in the entry-level Premium trim. There are three other levels of equipment available: Premium Plus ($78,800), Prestige ($84,800), and Launch Edition ($87,550). But the price hike comes after an increase in range and some other useful updates.

More facts and figures

However, according to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the range didn't change much between 2019 and 2023. Here's what we saw:

• 2019 e-tron - 204 miles of range with an efficiency of 46 kWh per 100 miles;
• 2020 e-tron (Sportback) - 218 miles of range with an efficiency of 44 kWh per 100 miles;
• 2021 e-tron – 222 miles of range with an efficiency of 43 kWh per 100 miles;
• 2022 e-tron – 222 miles of range with no change in efficiency;
• 2023 e-tron - 226 miles of range with an efficiency of 43 kWh per 100 miles;
• 2024 Q8 e-tron – 285 miles of range with an efficiency of 41 kWh per 100 miles.

It's worth noting that the Audi e-tron debuted with a 95-kWh battery. The owner was allowed to use 83.6 kWh of its capacity. A software update unlocked an extra 2.9 kWh of the high-voltage energy storage unit two years later.

For the 2024 model-year eSUV, Audi introduced a 114-kWh gross battery (106-kWh usable) that can fast charge at speeds of up to 170 kW. As expected, this one's still pretty pricey.

However, a quick search across America's best websites for used cars reveals that you could enjoy the Audi EV experience for the price of a brand-new base-spec Subaru Impreza. There aren't just one or two available. There are dozens of 2019 model-year units up for grabs in multiple parts of the US. We included some in the photo gallery so that you can get an idea of how things are.

But it gets even better! The EV tax credit rules changed. Many used EVs, including the e-tron and e-tron Sportback, qualify for a $4,000 discount offered by Uncle Sam. To obtain that perk, you must find a licensed dealer, negotiate a selling price of $25,000 tops, and have a gross income of $75,000 as a single filer, $112,500 as head of household, and $150,000 as a married couple or surviving spouse.

Just keep in mind that the EPA-rated range isn't something you will see after every charge to 100%. EVs are sensitive to weather changes, and you need to be prepared for various situations that may entail multiple charging stops. Besides that, using the A/C, having a couple of passengers on board, or driving on the highway can also impact range. Moreover, DC charging is becoming expensive and not all networks are as reliable as we would want them to be.

Fortunately, Audi equipped this SUV with a heat pump from the get-go. That helps conserve some energy.

While some Audi EVs are depreciating like there's no tomorrow and authorized middlemen are offering discounts on new cars, many Toyota dealerships are still trying to mark up some vehicles.

A weird car market

Prospective 2024 Tacoma buyers have reported multiple bait-and-switch attempts where the selling party agreed to let go of the vehicle at MSRP but added a price hike right before the paperwork was made ready for signing. That happened even to interested buyers who sent a deposit to confirm their interest.

But unlike Audi or Tesla, Toyota has one important thing going for it: the reputation of being reliable. Its hybrids are appreciated because they offer customers the gift of improved fuel consumption.
They also develop more torque when moving from a standstill, which is similar to or better than what European diesel engines offer. When it comes to big and heavy internal combustion engine-powered vehicles, that's what you want. Low-end torque is great.

Remember the first-gen Prius that was quiet and "good for sneaking up on" smart sons of a gun ("Weeds" TV show reference)? People were worried that the small battery would die in a couple of years, but that didn't happen. Some first-gen Prius units are still in use today in many parts of the world, not just the US.

All in all, Audi owners shouldn't feel disheartened or betrayed because they were early adopters. The car market, with a few exceptions, is cooling down. Hyundai Ioniq 5 owners, for example, are very happy with their EVs. But if they try to upgrade to a different ride via a trade-in, the offers they get are less than encouraging. It might be because the novelty wore off or due to reports about charging woes and range dropping by half during winter.

Tesla could also be blamed for selling hundreds of thousands of cars and dropping prices across the board to maintain demand at satisfying levels. But rental car companies also contributed to the increased selling pressure after ditching the EVs they bought (mainly Tesla and Polestar models). These companies realized that profit margins wouldn't go up, even though they scored good acquisition deals.

There's a silver lining, though! Many people kept complaining that switching to a zero-emission car had a huge initial cost because the prices were very high. They can now buy an Audi e-tron, an e-tron GT, a BMW iX, or a Tesla Model S and experience the perks of zero-emission personal mobility while sitting inside a heavily discounted premium car.

We're back to normal. The car market is back to normal. The only difference now is that conventional luxury cars don't depreciate as fast as EVs.