Audi’s smallest EV yet? A2 e-Tron targets the entry-level fight
Audi is largely going back to basics. The brand has teased its new entry-level electric model in the compact segment, named after one of Audi’s most innovative cars.
Called the A2 e-Tron, it’s a fully electric compact model that is slated to make its world premiere before the end of the year. But before that, the Ingolstadt-based marque has released its first design sketch, revealing the silhouette of what’s coming. The original Audi A2 was an odd-looking, aluminium-bodied hatchback that arrived in 1999 and was ahead of its time in ways the market wasn’t ready for. It shipped with a 1.2-litre TDI variant which, according to some reports, used just 3l/100km. That’s hybrid-level consumption… in 2001.
That said, the new A2 e-tron feels like its spiritual successor, and if Audi is serious about bringing it to South Africa, the numbers need to make sense. Effectively, it won’t be competing with BMW or Mercedes, but rather a wave of properly competitive, more affordable Chinese EVs that are already reshaping the lower end of the market. Audi has spent the last few years filling out the top of its EV portfolio with the likes of the Q6 e-Tron, Q8 e-Tron, and A6 e-Tron, but the entry point has been notably absent.
The compact EV segment in South Africa is increasingly contested; all five of the most affordable EVs in the country are currently Chinese, with the BYD Dolphin Surf leading the charge from R341,900, while legacy brands continue to dip their toes into the space. Globally, manufacturers are pushing hard in exactly this segment, and Audi’s answer is to bring genuine premium credentials to the entry point rather than simply badge-engineer a cheaper model. It remains to be seen if the A2 e-Tron delivers on that promise when the full car is revealed.
For South African buyers, the picture is less immediate. Audi South Africa has not confirmed local availability or pricing. Given the current state of the local EV infrastructure rollout, homologation and market timing will be worth watching closely. If it arrives, it would sit below the Q4 e-Tron in the range. This could open the electric Audi door to a wider audience.
