The Breakdown Audi's cheapest EV arrives later this year. It's expected to dust off the A2 name. With the A1 and Q2 retiring, the A2 will become the entry-level model. Audi is gearing up for a busy 2026, with multiple product launches locked in for the remainder of the year. While enthusiasts are eagerly awaiting the new RS5, the SUV-loving crowd has its eyes on the next-generation Q7 and the first-ever Q9. At the other end of the lineup, Ingolstadt is set to shake things up by both adding and subtracting models. Long confirmed to bow out after the current generation, the A1 supermini is expected to retire by year’s end. The subcompact hatchback will likely exit the lineup alongside its crossover sibling, the Q2. Indirectly replacing both models will be a completely different newcomer, reviving a moniker last used about two decades ago: A2. While the original A2 was far from a commercial success due to its high price and quirky styling, Audi hopes its spiritual successor will fare better. The German luxury brand has already confirmed plans to introduce an entry-level EV in 2026, and senior sources within the company have told Autocar it will carry the A2 designation. Our exclusive rendering draws on recent spy shots of a camouflaged prototype undergoing final testing. It won’t be as polarizing as the original A2, nor will it fully embrace the new design language previewed by the Concept C. The small electric hatchback was penned while Marc Lichte was still overseeing Audi’s design team, before Massimo Frascella was appointed Head of Design in 2024. It remains to be seen whether Frascella has left his mark on the A2, but logic suggests the car’s design had already been frozen by the time he arrived in Ingolstadt. Whatever the case, Audi’s cheapest electric vehicle will feature split headlights. Elsewhere, traditional door handles are absent, replaced by tiny winglets integrated into the beltline for a layout also seen on the Ford Mustang Mach-E. The newcomer will predictably slot below the Q4 E-Tron and is likely to carry the same suffix as Audi’s other EVs. The A2 E-Tron will be closely related to the Volkswagen ID.3, possibly the updated version due soon. Interestingly, Autocar notes that Audi aims to lure buyers who miss the BMW i3 hatchback, which was retired in 2022. Coincidentally, Munich is also reviving the i3 name, though it’s being repurposed for an electric sedan in the 3 Series segment. Given Audi’s premium positioning, the A2 is expected to command a price premium over its mainstream ID.3 sibling. VW charges €33,330 for the base version in Germany, so it’s reasonable to assume the tuxedo-wearing cousin will cost north of €35,000. Photos - Audi A2, historical photos Motor1's Take: The new A2 will be an intriguing addition to an electric luxury segment dominated by far larger and more expensive vehicles. Its styling likely won’t be to everyone’s taste, but we appreciate Audi for injecting some of the original model’s funkiness into its indirect successor. We wouldn’t count on seeing the A2 E-Tron in the United States, given its small footprint. After all, VW doesn’t sell the ID.3 in North America either. In Europe, however, it stands a better chance of success than the original A2, helped by the steadily growing appetite for EVs. In 2025, purely electric cars accounted for 19.5 percent of all vehicles sold across the 27 EU countries, plus the UK, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland. We want your opinion! What would you like to see on Motor1.com? Take our 3 minute survey. - The Motor1.com Team
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