AUDI has reinvented the A2 as a smart and efficient electric hatch.
So smart, some people will probably want the camouflaged wrap on this prototype.
Audi has reinvented the A2 as a smart and efficient electric hatch Credit: Supplied
The new prototype features various aero tricks to improve performance as Audi continues to innovate Credit: Supplied
So efficient, even the word “Bridgestone” is printed flat on the tyres to cut air turbulence.
Engineers found an extra 20-25 miles of range by using all sorts of aero tricks including active air intakes and underbody spoilers in front of the front wheels.
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I eased off the accelerator at 45-50mph expecting the car to slow and it just kept going and going – giving me free miles, essentially. That’s impressive.
As is the damping and ride quality. The multi-link rear axle helps. As is the feeling of space in a whisper-quiet cabin. Pure Audi.
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You can’t see the dash in our pictures because that’s being kept secret until the big unveil next month.
But you can imagine twin display screens from the A5, control stalks from the Q3, twin magnetic phone chargers and a useful centre console for big slurpies and storing your bits and bobs.
You can’t see the dash in our pictures because that’s being kept secret until the big unveil next month Credit: Supplied
So efficient, even the word ‘Bridgestone’ is printed flat on the tyres to cut air turbulence Credit: AUDI AG
There’s even a plug socket in the boot for inflating air beds and things.Posh and practical.
Now you may remember that the original A2 from the late Nineties/early Noughties was a real trailblazer at a bantamweight 825kg (aluminium space-frame) and nudged 90mpg. This new one is double that weight. EVs aren’t light.
But it still goes a long way on a full charge thanks to its slippery shape and a super-efficient rear-drive system.
This test car has a 310-mile battery. But you could upgrade to a bigger 400-mile one. Or save a few quid and go a bit smaller.
Whichever you choose, all three are lithium ion phosphate (LFP) so they’re kinder to the planet – no cobalt, no nickel – and can be charged repeatedly to 100 per cent.
Audi CEO Gernot Dollner is clearly delighted with the end result.
He told me: “This car carries a strong name. The original was innovative and highly efficient and we have brought these genes to the A2 e-tron.
“It’s really impressive what the engineers have achieved. The team has overdelivered on the targets we set them.”
I’m happy to see the return of that wedge-shaped rear end.
AUDI A2 E-TRON
Key facts:
Price: £34,000
Battery: 58kWh
Power: 190hp
0-62mph: 8 secs
Top speed: 99mph
Range: 310 miles Charging: 26 mins
CO2: 0g/km
Out: November
