Ahead of its Time
For what it's worth, the original Audi A2 was a clever subcompact hatchback. Its body and chassis were made of aluminum. The little hatchback also came with a range of efficient gas and diesel engines. Couple that with its slippery and aerodynamic body, and Audi claimed as much as 80 mpg from the smallest diesel-powered version.
It was also a little too ahead of its time, expensive to build, and pricey. The company said it set out 'To build a small Audi, not a cheap Audi,' but it ended up costing the folks from Ingolstadt. With disappointing sales, Audi pulled the plug on the A2 in 2005 after just five model years. It was eventually replaced by the A1, which had just been discontinued this year.
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The EV Reboot
21 years after the last A2 rolled off the production line, Audi is just about ready to roll out an all-new version. This time around, it's being rebooted as an EV, and it aims to succeed where its predecessor failed spectacularly: Sales.
Audi had previously shown a single teaser photo of what's now called the A2 e-Tron. It highlighted its shape, which should look familiar to the few people who bought the original model. This time around, the company has released footage of the car in motion, giving us a better idea of what to expect.
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A Distinct Look
The electric A2 retains the Kammback profile of its predecessor, so we can expect it to be highly aerodynamic. At the front, it appears to adopt the quad-light design we're seeing more on Audi models these days. The lights on the edge of the hood are merely the DRLs, and the headlights are mounted lower. Of course, the prominent grille is present.
At the back, the A2 e-Tron features a high-mounted tailgate spoiler, staying faithful to the first model. This time around, the vertical tail lights are gone, replaced by horizontal lights with a light bar in between. At first glance, the car appears to be much larger than the previous iteration.
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What to Expect
As it turns out, the A2 e-Tron won't use the upcoming SSP architecture, even though Audi will be the first to adopt it. Instead, the EV will be underpinned by the MEB platform that's used by countless VW Group EVs. It won't be related to the ID. Polo, but it will have more in common with the ID.3 Neo. Hopefully, the Audi will get the same amount of physical controls as the VW.
Given that it'll be an MEB-based EV, the standard drivetrain will be rear-wheel drive. That point was made clear with footage of the car going sideways in the snow. We're expecting all-wheel drive to be an option as it's available in some MEB cars. Besides, this is Audi we're talking about.
Powertrain details are still unknown at this point. However, it could benefit from the battery and motor updates that benefitted the ID.3 Neo. The A2 e-Tron might get VW's long-range battery as standard, and it could also be offered with an even larger pack. We'll know more about the car once it's fully revealed by Fall 2026.
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