Audi A8 TFSI e EV Charging Cable

A limousine with a modest battery and no shortcut

The A8 60 TFSI e quattro carries roughly 14.1 to 14.4 kWh usable from a 17.9 kWh pack. German technical data gives 390 minutes from a household socket and 150 minutes on a 7.4 kW connection, and Audi's American material describes the same drivetrain with a 7.7 kW charger filling in 2.4 hours from a single phase outlet.

There is no rapid charging on this one, and no socket that could offer it. Every kilowatt hour it ever receives comes down the Type 2 cable, so the lead is a functional part of the car rather than something kept in the boot for emergencies. On a car at this price that is worth knowing before you buy: there is no rapid charging option at any money, so the overnight AC charge is the entire electric story.

The one thing the sources argue about

We will be straight about the uncertainty. Audi's German technical data files this 7.4 kW under a two phase heading, and if that were the operative fact a UK home would be limited to about half of it. But Audi's own UK charge times cannot be reconciled with 3.7 kW, and US material for the same hardware describes a single phase outlet reaching the full rate. On balance this is a 32A car; a dealer can settle it for your specific registration.

How long a full charge takes

Those times come from dividing the pack by the delivered power and adding 13 per cent for losses, then rounding to the quarter hour. Two and a half hours at 7.4 kW, matching both the German 150 minute figure and the American 2.4 hour one. A 16A lead would take about five hours, which on a car used for early starts is the difference between ready and not.

We have not been able to find a current Audi UK page giving the A8 TFSI e's own charge time and electric range, so the figures here come from German technical data and Audi's American material for the same drivetrain.

Which length for an A8 TFSI e

Not published for the A8, and we are not going to infer it from the A6. Have a look at the car.

What is certain is the size: the A8 is 5.17 metres in standard form and 5.32 as the long wheelbase, which makes it one of the longest cars we sell a cable for. Five metres is not a serious option on either unless the charge point happens to sit right beside the flap. Ten metres is the working minimum and 15 is not extravagant on a long drive. The honest way to choose is to measure the real parking position and allow two metres spare.

How these cables are built

IEC 62196-2 construction, CE marked, IP55 sealed and tested from -30C through to +50C.

The three pin version is an IEC 62752 unit, CE marked and IP67 sealed, specified -30C to +60C. Two year warranty from the manufacturer, free next day delivery in the UK, 30 day returns.

Also from Audi: Audi Q4 e-tron EV Charging Cable. The full range of Audi charging cables is on one page.

Audi A8 TFSI e charging cable questions

Which cable does an A8 TFSI e need?

A 32A Type 2 to Type 2 lead, and 10 metres rather than 5 on a car over five metres long.

How long does an A8 TFSI e take to charge?

About two and a half hours from empty at 7.4 kW, which matches both the German figure of 150 minutes and Audi's American 2.4 hour claim for the same drivetrain.

Can an A8 TFSI e rapid charge?

No. There is no DC socket at any specification, so the Type 2 cable is the only way to charge it.

Why are the figures here not from Audi UK?

Because we could not find a current Audi UK page giving this model's charge time and range. The figures come from German technical data and Audi's American material for the same drivetrain, and we would rather say so.