The Audi A2 wasn’t a car people expected from a luxury German automaker when it debuted a quarter-century ago. The vehicle looked like a half-baked minivan with its massive windshield, sloping roof, and short overhangs. But the A2 was quirky as hell, and Audi believes there’s still a market for it. That’s why the automaker is bringing the A2 back, though, not like before. While the original A2 had gasoline and diesel engines, the new one, which Audi confirmed last month will be returning, will have a battery-electric powertrain. It will serve as the brand’s entry-level electric vehicle, slotting below the Q4 E-Tron in Audi’s lineup. Outside of a teaser image, Audi has provided no concrete details about the new A2. It looks small and compact, and it will likely share a platform and hardware with other small Volkswagen Group EVs. We will get all the details when it debuts, which will be later this year. Until then, though, this is everything we know about the upcoming Audi A2 E-Tron. What Will Audi Call It? Original Audi A2 Audi confirmed it will call its new electric vehicle the A2 E-Tron when it announced the model’s return this past March. When the automaker launched the first-generation car at the turn of the century, Audi had already introduced several A-named models, starting with the A8 in 1994 and quickly followed by others. The A3 was Audi’s smallest offering when the A2 launched, which is taller than the A3 but shorter in overall length. Audi also already had an A4 in its lineup, so the number 2 was the natural fit for the compact city car designed to compete against the Mercedes-Benz A-Class. Tell us what you think! View Comments What Will The New Audi A2 Look Like? Audi A2 E-Tron Rendering by Motor1 The lone teaser image Audi shared offers a decent look at the design and is very reminiscent of the original. The A2 E-Tron has a similar silhouette, with a sloping roof, a small spoiler, and short overhangs, while being a bit more bulbous. There are very few details, but we can see the car’s thin daytime running lights. It also appears to wear wheels that are an evolution of those on the AL2 concept from 1997 and the A2 TDIs. Our rendering fleshes out the styling details, giving the vehicle, which should blend the original A2’s minivan-like proportions with today’s crossover sensibilities, a face. It features the thin DRLs visible in the teaser, a small grille, and a prominent lower grille garnish that connects the headlights in a sinister smile. What Platform Will It Ride On? The A2 will likely ride on Volkswagen Group’s MEB or MEB+ platform and could share much of its hardware with the upcoming Volkswagen ID.3 Neo, which is scheduled to debut sometime this month with an assortment of improvements. The platform can accommodate a range of battery sizes and powertrain configurations, so Audi has options. The A2 will likely have a rear-wheel-drive setup as standard with an all-wheel-drive option. It will also have a higher stance than the Volkswagen, with Audi infusing the A2’s design with crossover-like features. What Will Power It? Volkswagen ID.3 Audi has not provided any details about the A2’s powertrains. We expect the car to have single- and dual-motor options. If it shares hardware with the ID.3, the single-motor variant could produce as much as 326 horsepower, which is what the ID.3 GTX Performance makes. A dual-motor option could produce even more, which could be reserved for hotter S or RS variants. We expect the entry-level variant to offer an output closer to 200 hp. The A2 will likely offer two battery sizes, with a smaller one reserved for the entry-level model. The current ID.3 offers three—a 58.0-kilowatt-hour battery pack and a 77.0- or 79.0-kWh one. When Will It Debut? Audi announced last November that it would have three major debuts this year, two of which are the Q7 and Q9. Audi said the third was an entry-level BEV, the A2 E-Tron, and that it will launch sometime this fall. The car could go on sale in Europe before the end of 2026. Audi will manufacture the car in Ingolstadt, Germany. Will Audi Sell The New A2 E-Tron In America? Audi has not said whether it will sell the new A2 E-Tron in the United States, but it seems unlikely. Volkswagen doesn’t sell the ID.3 here, so we doubt there is a strong business case to import the A2 into the United States, considering the rash of new tariffs imposed on foreign-made vehicles. How Much Will It Cost? Despite the A2 E-Tron serving as the brand’s entry-level model, it won’t be cheap. The Q4 E-Tron, which the A2 will slot under in the lineup, starts at just over $50,000 in the United States. Audi hasn’t said how much the A2 will cost, but we expect it will start in the low $40,000 range. We want your opinion! What would you like to see on Motor1.com? Take our 3 minute survey. - The Motor1.com Team
