Audi celebrated 25 years of its cult A2 hatchback by turning one into an EV.
The Audi A2 E-Tron is a one-off project by apprentices. It is not such a first project; Audi students previously transformed the NSU Prinz 4 from one of the automaker's pre-brands into a fast EV concept to mark 150 years of production at Audi's Neckarsulm, Germany plant.
Audi A2 E-Tron concept
The hatchback is powered by a single electric motor from the Audi Q8 E-Tron, rated at 197 hp and 261 pound-feet of torque. A 25.9-kwh battery pack from the Audi Q7 plug-in hybrid (a model not sold in the US) was installed under the cargo floor and offers a range of 129 miles (probably based on the European WLTP test cycle). Audi says there's room for a second package, which could increase the range to 248 miles.
The A2 also received exterior modifications such as smoother wheels, removed door handles, and illuminated front and rear badges similar to the Audi Q6 E-Tron and A6 E-Tron. Those two new EVs share the Premium Platform Electric (PPE) which is key to Audi's strategy of focusing primarily on premium models—besides cars like the A2.
Entering production in November 1999, the Audi A2 was a forward-thinking subcompact that emphasized efficiency with an aluminum body, fuel-efficient diesel engines, and a unique stance that provided a low drag coefficient between 0.25 and 0.29.
The Audi A2 E-Tron concept
However, low electricity prices at the turn of the century meant that the A2 was not as popular when new as it is today. It wasn't sold in the US, it was more expensive than the standard small cars in Europe. So while the A2 retains a loyal following today, it sold poorly when new and was largely unchanged after production ended in 2005. The less rugged A1 was Audi's entry-level model in Europe.
Audi had been developing a small, all-electric A2 city car for the past decade, but shelved the project. The Audi Q4 E-Tron is still the smallest EV in the US, sharing the Volkswagen Group MEB platform with the VW ID.4 and ID.Buzz, among other models.