In both cases, a tri-motor electric powertrain – one motor in front and two at the back – delivers 496 horsepower and 718 lb-ft of torque. Aided by the quattro all-wheel-drive system, the SQ8 e-tron can reach 60 mph in a swift 4.2 seconds.
The BMW iX xDrive50 has a slightly lower price than the Audi at $87,100 and delivers 516 hp from its dual motors. However, it’s marginally slower to 60 (4.4 seconds). These are negligible differences, but a clear winner emerges regarding range.
The previous e-tron S could only cover between 181 and 212 miles on a full charge, depending on how it was configured, but the new one has a 23% larger net battery capacity of 106 kWh. As a result, it attains 253 miles on standard 20-inch wheels and 218 miles on optional 22s. That’s a welcome improvement, but the iX is better still.
