Audi will build a Q8 E-Tron at its plant located on the outskirts of the Belgian capital Brussels, CEO Markus Duesmann said earlier this month.

“The next car produced here will be the Audi Q8 E-Tron, the electric successor to the current E-Tron,” Duesmann said during a presentation at the plant held on November 10, according to Belgium's RTL Info.

The E-Tron has been on sale since the 2019 model year and is expected to receive a mid-cycle update for 2023. Prototypes for the updated E-Tron have already been spotted testing.

The updated E-Tron should remain in production until the start of production of the Q8 E-Tron in 2026, according to RTL Info. The Belgian outlet also reported that the Q8 E-Tron will be bigger than the E-Tron.

2021 Audi E-Tron Sportback

2021 Audi E-Tron Sportback

The E-Tron was always going to have a single product cycle. It was launched to mark Audi's introduction of electric power to mainstream customers, similar to how the Quattro sports car of the 1980s marked the introduction of all-wheel drive.

Although not mentioned by Duesmann, there will also likely be a coupe-like Q8 Sportback E-Tron to replace the current E-Tron Sportback.

The Q8 E-Tron should also replace the current Q8 which like the E-Tron arrived as a 2019 model. Audi has confirmed that it will no longer launch models with internal-combustion engines from 2026, meaning there won't be another gas-powered Q8.

The Q8 E-Tron should also serve as Audi's flagship crossover worldwide. Although Audi has been spotted testing a prototype for a full-size crossover that many are calling the Q9, this model is expected to be sold in China only and will likely be called something along the lines of Q7 L, or perhaps Q8 L.