Audi is accelerating the development of a new entry-level electric car, which will be positioned on a par with the A3 and Q3. Audi CEO Gernot Döllner said it will be A “wonderful, unique, stand-alone vehicle.”
It is reported that this compact electric vehicle is planned to be launched in 2027, and the research and development cycle will be shortened to about three years in order to compete with rapidly rising Chinese competitors. With the end of production of Audi’s A1 and Q2 models, the A3 hatchback and Q3 will become the smallest models in Audi’s gasoline-powered range. It is worth mentioning that the A3 has just completed its facelift and the new Q3 will be launched soon.
Dorner refused to reveal too many details about the new car, saying only that the car would be positioned lower than the Audi Q4 e-tron, and said, “This will be a wonderful, unique, independent model concept that will be launched in Ingolstadt.” A special production worthy of all our expectations.”
Given the popularity of SUV models, the entry-level electric car is likely to adopt a high-riding crossover design rather than a traditional hatchback shape, forming a sister model to the gas-powered Q3.
It is noticed that at last year’s Munich Auto Show, Audi’s then technical director Oliver Hoffman hinted that the new model will use the Volkswagen Group’s MEB electric vehicle platform (this platform is also used for the Q4 e-tron), rather than the newer model just launched by Audi. High-end PPE platform, PPE platform is mainly used in large vehicles, such as the new Audi Q6 e-tron SUV. Dorner did not rule out the possibility of using the MEB platform, but insisted that “no final decision has been made on which platform to use.”
Dorner also made it clear that there will be no electric successor to the A1: “It won’t be a car that’s only four meters long. I won’t be that stubborn. We won’t have a direct electric successor to the A1 or Q2.”
Although Dorner did not disclose the possible names of the new cars, Audi recently adjusted its model numbering strategy, using even numbers for electric vehicles and odd numbers for fuel vehicles. This hints that Audi’s future entry-level electric cars may be called the A2 e-tron or Q2 e-tron, although they will have no connection to previous models with the same name.
