Audi’s new A2 e-tron unveiled with 645km range
Words: Andrew Sluys
Audi has unveiled its much-anticipated A2 e-tron, which arrives with familiar looks, but an all-new powertrain.
If you aren’t familiar with the A2, it was Audi’s attempt in the early 1990s to capture customers that were interested in fuel efficiency.
While it wasn’t exactly a looker, it was a trailblazer with an aluminum frame to keep weight down, and featured one of the lowest drag coefficient figures for a passenger car.
Many labelled it as a car before its time as it didn’t sell in numbers anywhere near what Audi was hoping for.
Fast forward to 2026, and the A2 is back, but this time with an ‘e-tron’ moniker, hinting at its electric propulsion.
Like the first iteration, Audi claims that this A2 e-tron is the most energy efficient car it has ever produced, with a figure of 12.8kWh/100km.
Its strange shape also means it can cut through the air better than most of its electric rivals, with a drag coefficient of just 0.24.
Audi is offering the A2 e-tron with three battery configurations in overseas markets, which include 52, 61 and 84kWh units.
Like its Volkswagen and Cupra-badged siblings, this A2 e-tron sits on the MEB platform, meaning it is exclusively rear-wheel drive.
The entry-level 52kWh model pairs this battery with a single electric motor producing 125kW, and a WLTP range of 422km.
Move up to the 61kWh battery and you get a 170kW motor, which cuts the 0-100km/h time to 7.9-seconds. It will also cover up to 515km (WLTP) on a charge.
The big 84kWh battery is paired with a 170kW motor, which will hit 100km/h in seven seconds flat. It also extends range to 645km (WLTP).
While Audi isn’t offering a dual-motor quattro version of this A2 e-tron, there is a slightly more performance-focused version of the 84kWh model, which gets a 240kW motor, and cuts the 0-100km/h time to 5.7-seconds. This increased performance comes at the cost of range, which drops to 629 (WLTP).
As for charging, 183kW is the max DC rate on the 84kWh models, which will take around 29 minutes to charge from 10 to 80 per cent.
On the inside, it gets a familiar Audi cabin with an 11.9-inch digital cluster and a 12.8-inch curved infotainment screen.
The gear selector is up on the indicator stalk, and it gets a wireless phone charging pad.
While Audi New Zealand is yet to reveal any local information regarding this new A2 e-tron, it is looking likely for our market.
In the United Kingdom, the A2 e-tron is starting from around NZD$74,000, which gives you a rough idea of what it might cost when it lands here.
