1.5 Crore Audi Q8 eTron Involved In High-Speed Crash: Build Quality Saves Driver
High-speed crashes involving expensive cars aren’t rare occurrences anymore. In the most recent case from Delhi, an Audi Q8 e-Tron electric SUV hit several vehicles before crashing into a parked truck. Thanks to the solid build quality and long list of safety features, the e-SUV’s driver could walk out of the debris, although with injuries.
This high-speed collision occurred in Okhla Phase-1 of Southeast Delhi. On Monday (December 22nd) afternoon, the Q8 e-Tron was reportedly being driven at a high speed when it lost control and hit a Tata Tigor, Maruti Brezza, and a Tiago CNG. These were all parked nearby. The electric SUV only came to a complete halt after it crashed into a parked truck (a Tata 1109G LPT), on the service road in front of A-230, Okhla Industrial Area.
The eTron SUV took serious damage in the crash and looks nearly totalled. The Q8 eTron 55 has robust battery and crash structures for additional protection. These likely helped in preventing a fire or similar hazards, despite the impact in this case being sizeable.
The driver sustained injuries and was reportedly able to walk away from the debris. He was shifted to the AIIMS Trauma Centre for better medical attention, and is reported to be stable and recovering.
Luckily, none of the cars hit by the Audi had people inside at the time of the incident. No pedestrians were hurt. The only person injured in this crash is known to be the Audi driver- very lucky considering how busy this section of the road usually is.
The police control room was soon informed about the development. Cops arrived at the scene in no time. A case has reportedly been registered against the Audi driver under relevant sections. Initial reports from the police officials cite high-speed driving leading to a loss of control as the cause of this accident.
The vehicle in this case is an Audi Q8 55 e-Tron, which has an on-road price of Rs 1.48 Crore in Nurpur, Himachal Pradesh, the city where it was registered. It remains unclear if this was the facelift that launched in India last year. The biggest difference between the pre-facelift Q8 e-Tron and the facelift is the battery size. The 2024 55 e-Tron facelift replaced the previous model’s 95kWh battery pack with a larger 114kWh unit.
This electric SUV comes with a two-motor setup, with a combined output of 408hp and 664Nm. It does the 0-100 kph sprint in just 5.6 seconds- quite fast. Even though Audi has given the vehicle a long list of features and tech to prevent a complete loss of control, there can be situations in which the same can happen. This seems to be one such case.
The safety tech on the Q8 e-Tron 55 includes 8 airbags, ABS, TPMS, ADAS, and more. It has also scored a five-star Euro NCAP rating. The build quality and strong safety standards of the vehicle helped in keeping the driver alive.
Talking about the crash, Deputy Commissioner of Police (South-East) said: “An Audi Q8 e-tron lost control on the service road and hit three parked vehicles before coming to a halt after crashing into a stationary truck. The driver was injured and shifted to the AIIMS Trauma Centre. No other person was injured,”
Residents and shopkeepers from around said that it was quite a loud crash, and they rushed out to rescue in no time. “The sound was very loud. We thought several people must have been injured. Luckily, no one was standing near the parked cars,” a factory worker from the industrial area told The Pioneer. Vehicles involved in this crash were soon removed, and traffic was restored.