New Audi A2 e-tron revealed with up to 326hp
Return of A2 badge 20 years later bring 400 miles, bidirectional charging and 'compelling interior concept'
Back when car makers could afford to be brave, the original Audi A2 was a real trailblazer. What looked overpriced and overwrought when new - lightweight materials, aero obsessed design, efficient engines - has come to be recognised (and appreciated) as a proper little feat of engineering. The A2 still felt like a small Audi, but it also felt like a novel take on doing more with less. And that was clever.
Put it this way: if Audi had called its new electric car the A1 e-tron, little would have been expected of it (beyond the usual broad batted competence). But because it’s chosen the A2 moniker, hopes will be there for something similarly innovative to the cult classic original. Audi’s certainly for there to be an association, this new EV said to be the most efficient model in its history - just as the first A2 would have been more than quarter of a century ago.
A design that’s clearly inspired by the old A2 (if seemingly set to 150 per cent zoom) plays a significant role, a drag co-efficient of 0.24Cd eking out every possible mile from each kilowatt hour. Audi says it’s the best in its compact line up, and actually matches the (seemingly) much sleeker e-tron GT thanks to a lot of work tidying up airflow around the wheels, into and out of grilles, plus the underbody. Doorhandles that look like a nightmare to use and are also said to help. It means that 401 miles WLTP is claimed as a maximum for the A2 e-tron. Not a whole lot more than the related Cupra Born (388), but it’s more. And more range in an EV is better, especially when it can break through the four hundred barrier. The old A2? That clever little diesel recorded a drag co efficient of 0.25…
The e-tron will launch with a host of battery and power options, all rear-wheel drive. They range from 52kWh to 84kWh gross, with a 61kWh item also available; the smaller batteries are made from lithium iron phosphate, the larger one from nickel manganese cobalt. The electric motors are APP350 or APP550 grade, with 170hp, 190hp, 231hp and 326hp offered up. All models get four regen levels, with an ESC tuned specifically for this application. Best efficiency is from 190hp (from 4.85mi/kWh), the most range is from the 231hp (which gets the big battery), and obviously the 326hp is the performance king, scooting to 62mph in 5.7 seconds. Interestingly, though, unlike the equally powerful Cupra Born VZ, there’s no performance billing for that A2 - it’s just the e-tron 326ps.
Same goes for the interior: this is about ‘a welcoming atmosphere and lots of space’ rather than anytime racier. So there’s something called Softwrap fabric everywhere, ergonomically contoured seats and an optional pano roof the size of a skylight. There’s also something called Fidlock included, for the interior and the boot, using magnets and a locking mechanism to secure bits and bobs. That slightly larger than expected exterior does mean a big boot at least, with 396 litres expandable to 1,336.
As part of the A2’s reimagination and push towards sustainability, there’s a host of recycled content throughout the e-tron. There are more than 300 recycled bits of steel, aluminium and plastic in the construction, the optional seats are made from recycled polyester and there are even reprocessed bits from end-of-life cars. This is Audi being clever again with an A2, which is nice to see.
There’s more cleverness, too, with bi-directional charging that can juice up devices or power the grid, plus the sort of assistance features usually only seen on bigger stuff like swerve assist, trained parking and proactive occupant protection. Audi CEO Gernot Döllner said: “Our customers want electric mobility that impresses in everyday life. The A2 e-tron is our promise to deliver exactly that — efficient, compact, and thoughtfully designed down to the last detail. We’re making entry into the electric Audi world easier and more relevant than ever.” That’s reflected in the pricing, with the e-tron set to start from £32k when it goes on sale next month. Expect them on the road early in 2027.
The old A2 superficially shows much similarities in that region, but its door was taller and narrower and a raised roofline gave easier access.
The bones are potentially good here, the APP350 is a great motor, but given VAGs slicing of models on the horizon will it survive to compete with its "cheaper" more mainstream siblings in the group?
Wasn't the original designed with BEV in mind from the outset?
I dont think car companies generally "Just stick some batteries in", think there is a little more to it than that
And this looks like an evolution, that is faithful to the original but it is quite a bit bigger, but all cars have got bigger, at 4.3 metres its not exactly massive,
Think it looks really quite good, and 300 odd bhp sounds appealing in the top one.
Reminds me of the BMW i3. This could be the spiritual successor to the i3 as much as the A2. Much closer than the Neue Klasse i3.
Edit
Manufacturers please take note, build a time machine and redesign the charge port to be within easy reach of Tesla chargers. This will negate the autotest gymkhana I have to go through to avoid blocking a bay. Ta.
The typical marketing bs continues, though: "a welcoming atmosphere and lots of space" - it looks about as welcoming as a 90s electronics shop:
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