Audi has revealed the A2 e-tron, a compact electric hatchback the company says uses less energy than any series-production model it has built before. Audi quotes WLTP consumption of 12.8 kWh/100 km and a range of up to 646 km (401 miles), helped by a drag coefficient of 0.24. Four power levels and three battery sizes are offered, with orders opening on 10 September 2026 and first deliveries from December. German prices start at 38,200 euros.

Audi has pulled the covers off the A2 e-tron, an electric compact car built around energy use rather than headline power. According to the manufacturer, the model records WLTP energy consumption of 12.8 kWh/100 km, which Audi says makes it the most efficient series-production car in its history. Maximum WLTP range is quoted at up to 646 km (401 miles).

The car was developed in Germany and is produced at Audi’s home plant in Ingolstadt. The company frames it as an entry point into its electric range that is aimed specifically at European buyers, with the emphasis on running costs, interior space and digital features rather than outright performance.

Aerodynamics doing the heavy lifting

Much of the efficiency claim rests on airflow. Audi quotes a drag coefficient of 0.24, which it describes as the best figure in its compact line-up. The bodywork uses a controllable cooling-air intake that stays shut during steady highway driving, a largely enclosed underbody, and smooth transitions from the front splitter past the battery to the diffuser.

Newly developed aero wheels are joined by gap reducers and gap breathers built into the wheel-arch trims, which narrow the space between tyre and arch to cut turbulence. Flush electric door handles with haptic sensors sit in the side profile; a separate energy store in the door means the doors can still be opened if the onboard electrical system fails. The proportions help too — short overhangs, a 2.77 m (109 in) wheelbase and a roofline that tapers into a defined spoiler lip.

Four power levels, three batteries

Buyers choose between four outputs, running from 125 kW (around 170 hp) and 350 Nm in the entry car to 240 kW (around 326 hp) and 545 Nm at the top of the range. Three gross battery capacities are offered: 52, 61 and 84 kWh. Drive is to the rear axle via permanently excited synchronous motors, and there are four recuperation settings including one-pedal driving selected through the B position on the gear selector.

The 12.8 kWh/100 km figure applies to the 140 kW version fitted with the optional efficiency package. For reference, Audi’s own consumption data for the 170 kW model lists 15.7–13.9 kWh/100 km combined, with zero tailpipe CO2 emissions.

Bidirectional charging is available as an option. Vehicle-to-Load can run external devices such as an e-bike charger from a socket in the boot or through an adapter at the charge port, and requires at least a 20 percent state of charge. In Germany, Austria and Switzerland, Vehicle-to-Home allows the car to act as a household battery with a suitable DC wallbox, operating between 20 and 80 percent charge.

Space, screens and storage

Inside, a fabric-covered surface Audi calls the Softwrap runs from the instrument panel across the doors and into the rear cabin. An optional panoramic glass roof measures roughly 1.6 square metres (17 sq ft) and carries a coating against UV light and heat. Standard displays comprise an MMI panoramic setup with an 11.9-inch Audi virtual cockpit plus and a 12.8-inch curved MMI touch display.

The gear selector has moved to the steering column, freeing the centre console for a cooled phone tray that charges two smartphones wirelessly at up to 25 watts under the Qi 2.2 standard — a charging time Audi says is up to 70 percent shorter than conventional 5-watt pads. The company states it is the first premium carmaker to fit the patented Fidlock magnetic fastening system as standard, used for cup holders, charging-cable bags and tie-down straps. Three Fidlock adapters and a cup holder are included.

Standard driver assistance is unusually complete for the class: emergency brake assist, evasive assist, attention assist, adaptive cruise control, parking system plus and a rear-view camera. Infotainment includes the AI-based Audi assistant and the e-tron route planner, while Audi connected work adds Microsoft Outlook and Teams integration.

Depending on specification, Audi says the car uses more than 300 components made from recycled steel, aluminium and plastics, with over 100 of those drawing on post-consumer recycled material.

A faster route to production

Audi also presents the A2 e-tron as a test of its own processes. The company says the car reached the road 21 months earlier than comparable predecessor projects, thanks to leaner development and a higher level of maturity in pre-series build. Ingolstadt reuses more than 1,200 existing production components and around 250 robots already running for other models, and adopts the “pearl chain” sequencing principle already used at Neckarsulm.

“The A2 e-tron is more than a new model: It represents Audi’s renewal. It shows how we are rethinking premium for Europe: using resources more intelligently without compromising on quality, technology, or customer experience. Developed for the needs of our European customers and built in Ingolstadt, it demonstrates our ambition to shape the future of premium mobility.”

What it means

A compact premium EV that claims segment-leading aerodynamics and a 646 km maximum range sets a clear efficiency marker in a class where rivals have generally chased range through bigger batteries. The 38,200-euro entry price places it at the affordable end of Audi’s electric range, and the choice of three battery sizes gives buyers room to trade range against cost.

Facts: Audi A2 e-tron

  • Power levels: four, from 125 kW / 350 Nm to 240 kW / 545 Nm
  • Drive: rear-wheel drive, permanently excited synchronous motors
  • Battery: 52, 61 or 84 kWh (gross)
  • Range: up to 646 km (401 miles), WLTP
  • Consumption: 12.8 kWh/100 km WLTP (140 kW with efficiency package); 15.7–13.9 kWh/100 km for the 170 kW version
  • Drag coefficient: 0.24
  • Wheelbase: 2.77 m (109 in)
  • Displays: 11.9-inch virtual cockpit plus, 12.8-inch MMI touch
  • Price: from 38,200 euros in Germany
  • Orders: from 10 September 2026

The A2 e-tron can be ordered from 10 September 2026, with the first cars reaching Audi dealers in December 2026.

Source: www.audi.com