Audi Brought the A2 Back After 20 Years – Now It’s an EV With 401 Miles of Range

Audi has brought back the A2 name, but the new car takes a very different route from the lightweight aluminum hatchback that disappeared more than two decades ago. The A2 e-tron is now a compact electric crossover, built around the same basic idea of making a small car as efficient as possible while giving it enough space and technology for everyday use.

The connection to the original is easy to spot. The new A2 has a tall, boxy body, a split rear window, and a short, upright shape, but it sits on a much wider footprint and has a more substantial stance.

Audi has also given it a distinctive front end with a broad grille treatment and a design that is considerably less conservative than the brand's usual compact models. Unlike the original A2, which relied heavily on aluminum construction, the new car is mostly steel with some aluminum components.

Efficiency is one of the main reasons Audi brought the name back. The company says the A2 e-tron is its most efficient production model yet, with consumption as low as 12.8 kWh per 62 miles. Depending on the battery and motor combination, WLTP range reaches as high as 401 miles.

Audi achieved that figure through a long list of smaller aerodynamic improvements. The A2 has a drag coefficient of 0.24, helped by an enclosed underbody, active cooling intake, aerodynamic wheels, and additional work around the wheel arches to reduce turbulence. The door handles also use a different approach, with sensors and electric opening instead of conventional mechanical hardware. Backup energy storage allows them to operate if the main electrical system loses power.

Three battery sizes are available: 52, 61, and 84 kWh. The entry version uses a 168 hp electric motor and reaches 62 mph in 8.8 seconds, with a range of up to 262 miles. Moving to the 61 kWh battery brings a 187 hp motor, a 7.9-second sprint, and up to 320 miles.

The 84 kWh battery can be paired with either a 228 hp motor or the range-topping 322 hp. The less powerful version reaches 62 mph in 7 seconds and can travel up to 401 miles, while the flagship cuts the sprint to 5.7 seconds and offers up to 391 miles. It is also the only version with a 124 mph top speed; the others are limited to 99 mph.

All versions drive the rear wheels. The A2 uses the existing MEB platform rather than the newer front-wheel-drive MEB+ architecture used by models such as the Volkswagen ID. Polo, Cupra Raval and Skoda Epiq. As a result, Audi does not offer Quattro all-wheel drive on the A2 e-tron.

Charging speeds depend on the battery. The larger packs support up to 183 kW and need around 29 minutes to go from 10 to 80 percent. The smaller batteries are limited to 100 kW but take around 24 minutes for the same charge because of their lower capacity. The A2 also supports bidirectional charging.

The interior follows the same compact-but-practical theme. Audi fits an 11.9-inch digital instrument display and a 12.8-inch curved central touchscreen while moving the gear selector to the steering column. That frees up space for a Qi 2.2 wireless charging pad capable of charging two phones simultaneously at up to 25 watts.

One of the more unusual features is called Fidlock. It uses magnetic mounts combined with a mechanical locking system, allowing accessories such as cupholders and charging cable bags to be attached to specific points around the cabin and trunk. Audi says the A2 is the first production car to use the system.

The packaging is less remarkable than the efficiency figures. The A2 shares its 2,770-mm (109-inch) wheelbase with the Q4 e-tron, but its 396-liter (14 cu-ft) trunk is smaller than the Q4's 520 liters. It also falls behind the Renault Megane E-Tech at 440 liters while offering slightly more space than the Volkswagen ID.3 at 385 liters and more than the Volvo EX30 at 318 liters.

The original A2 was technically ambitious but struggled commercially, with its aluminum construction contributing to its high cost. Audi is taking a different approach this time. The company says it took 20 years to bring the A2 name back but only 21 months to develop the new model from the drawing board to production debut.

With European demand for electric cars continuing to shape the market, the A2 e-tron arrives in a very different environment from its predecessor. This time, Audi is betting that the idea behind the original A2 makes more sense with an electric powertrain underneath it.