Audi teases A2 e-tron reveal
The newly confirmed A2 e-tron will be a fully battery-electric model in the compact class. “The A2 e-tron, manufactured in Ingolstadt, will further rejuvenate Audi’s model range and open up access to premium electric mobility,” Audi announced. The confirmation of the A2 e-tron was made during Audi’s annual press conference.“We’ve listened. Our customers want electric mobility that impresses in everyday life. The A2 e-tron is our promise to deliver exactly that – efficient, compact, and confident,” says Audi CEO Gernot Döllner of the new electric series. “We’re making entry into the electric Audi world easier and more relevant than ever.”Beyond the fully electric powertrain, Audi has not yet revealed further details about the drivetrain. However, with its world premiere scheduled for this autumn, it is unlikely that the new electric Audi will be based on any platform other than the MEB electric toolkit. The SSP platform is not yet ready, and the PPE (on which the Q6 e-tron is built in Ingolstadt) is designed for larger premium models. Therefore, the recent facelift of the Cupra Born – featuring, among other updates, the new APP350 electric motor and LFP battery – may provide a strong indication of what the Audi A2 e-tron will offer.In its top variants, the MEB platform continues to use the familiar 79 kWh battery, combined with the APP550 electric motor, even after its latest update. Rear-wheel-drive models will deliver 210 kW of power and 545 Nm of torque (or up to 240 kW in the VW ID.3 GTI Performance). Currently, the ID.3 (soon to be renamed ID.3 Neo) and Cupra Born do not offer all-wheel drive, which is reserved for mid-size SUVs (including the Audi Q4 e-tron). It remains unconfirmed whether Audi will introduce electric all-wheel drive to this compact model.With this new series, Audi aims to tap into the growing market for compact electric vehicles, particularly in European metropolitan areas where such models are in high demand. Currently, the Volkswagen Group serves this segment only with the two aforementioned volume models, while Audi is targeting a premium customer base. “With the new A2 e-tron, Audi is targeting a broad international customer base that values everyday usability in the city, sustainability, high efficiency, and digital connectivity,” the Ingolstadt-based firm explains. “The A2 e-tron strengthens a younger, clearer, and increasingly electric portfolio and makes entering the brand more modern and more relevant for new target groups.”Audi has deliberately chosen the A2 name for this model, as the original A2 ‘pioneered efficiency and urban mobility over 25 years ago.’ The new A2 e-tron aims to drive ‘this mission forward into the electric age’. Indeed, the silhouette of the new A2 e-tron bears certain similarities to its namesake, such as the aerodynamically sloping roofline with a distinctive rear spoiler. This feature gave the original A2 its characteristic look, though the spoiler at driver’s eye level also obstructed rear visibility and was frequently criticised. How Audi will address this in the electric reboot will likely be revealed at the world premiere this autumn.Alternatively, spy shots may emerge beforehand. The A2 e-tron is set to be the second electric model, after the Q6 e-tron, to roll off the production line at Audi’s main plant in Ingolstadt. “The A2 e-tron is crucial for our brand and also for our German home. With the production of an additional fully electric model family in Ingolstadt, we are securing jobs and delivering electric mobility ‘made in Germany’,” emphasises Döllner.audi-mediacenter.com
