Up to 401 miles of range is the headline figure for this small EV as Audi has the same laser focus on efficiency for its second generation car as it did for the original A2 that first went on sale over 26 years ago.

Back in the year 2000 the original petrol A2 carried a price premium for improved fuel efficiency compared to similar sized cars, such as the Mercedes A-Class and Volkswagen Golf which offered similar space for less money. And that made people question why they would pay more to save a bit of money on fuel, and now the same question can be asked as the new A2 starts from £32,200. A similar sized Volkswagen ID. Cross starts from around £25,000 and promises a larger boot and frunk, so what sets the A2 apart?

Battery, Range and Charging

Three battery packs will be offered from 52 kWh, 61 kWh and the leggiest version coming from an 84 kWh battery pack.

These packs offer ranges from 262 miles, 320 miles, 391 miles and 401 miles respectively, based on trim level and battery pack chosen.

DC charging is up to 183 kW taking between 24 and 29 minutes to charge from 10 to 80%, with the larger pack taking the longest to charge.

The A2 also supports bi-directional charging, with Vehicle-to-Load (V2L) allowing batteries, devices and even small appliances and power tools to be used via the power socket in the boot, or through an optional charge port adapter.
Vehicle-to-Home is also available when paired with a compactable bi-directional charger, which can power the home via stored energy from the cars battery pack, although this is on trial in the U.K., and not widely available.

Powertrain and Performance

The A2 e-tron is powered by permanent-magnet synchronous motors, is rear-wheel drive, and curiously, there are four power levels to choose from:

**Audi A2 e-tron Options**

Whilst prices are yet to be revealed, four powertrain options are available with the lower-midpoint 190 PS A2 hitting that balance between performance and maximising efficiency. However, 0.5 miles/kWh are likely to make only pennies difference on a home charge.

To provide some perspective, the Audi Q4 e-tron will achieve 3.3 to 3.9 miles per kWh. In other words, the A2 e-tron is Audi’s most efficient EV on sale yet.

Space and Practicality

The Audi A2 e-tron has a decent boot capacity of 396 litres, which is exceptional for a compact car. However, with the rear seats folded, that boot capacity extends to 1,336 litres. Standard features in the boot include LED lighting, a 12-volt power outlet, and four tie-down anchors.

The optional luggage compartment package adds a variable cargo floor, a cargo net, a power outlet (for the Vehicle-to-Load function), and three Fidlock adapters on the side walls to include shopping bags, a charging cable pouch, and a lashing strap, for example.

Fidlock combines strong magnets with a mechanical locking mechanism so objects such as cupholders and charging cable bags, as well as tie-down straps, can be secured with one hand, and a satisfying click confirms a secure hold.

To add to that practicality, there’s also a small frunk of 13 litres under the bonnet which is standard only on the A2 e-tron 231 PS and 326 PS.

For occupants, there a very generous and long wheelbase of 2.77 metres which should translate into a very roomy interior, providing a good level of comfort.

Interior

The interior is said to offer generous space with high-quality materials throughout, clever storage solutions, and accent lighting to create a premium ambiance.

There’s an optional panoramic glass roof (1.6 square metres) that floods the cabin with natural light, but uses a special coating to keep out the UV rays and the sun’s heat.

The seats are said to be “ergonomically contoured” to “promote a comfortable seating position and offer a high level of comfort and a relaxed driving experience, even on longer journeys”.

The door pockets at the front can accommodate large bottles up to 1.25 liters, whilst the centre console holds 1.5-liter bottles should occupants become extremely thirsty.

Vision

The dashboard features an MMI panoramic display which combines a 11.9-inch Audi virtual cockpit plus and the 12.8-inch touch screen in the centre, which is curved toward the driver.
For those looking for more displays, the optional augmented reality head-up display projects speed, navigation instructions, and media information into the driver’s field of view.

One interesting feature where Audi has paid attention to, is the indirect lights on the doors and beneath the panoramic display that make the centre console appear to float.

The optional ambient light package plus expands the palette to 30 colours and includes the dynamic interaction light. This is an LED strip that spans the full width of the interior near the windscreen and instrument panel that displays welcome animations and visually indicates when the vehicle is locked and unlocked.

Intelligence

With the optional AI assistant, customers can ask for information, and even write emails, or have their calendar entries read aloud. It can also join Microsoft Teams calls directly from their vehicle, or a simple voice command can start the navigating to their next meeting location stored in the calendar.
However, as is common with Audi, this feature is optional via the MMI experience pro package, but it can also be purchased after vehicle delivery through the Audi Functions Store in the myAudi app.

Sound

Seven speakers are standard, and this includes an all-new centre speaker at the front, but Audi will charge customers extra for the optional Audi sound system with eight speakers, including a subwoofer. This delivers 220 watts, but if this seems too weak, then there is yet another, more expensive optional sound system called ‘Sonos premium sound’.

Driving Dynamics

There are four driving modes; “comfort,” “balanced,” “efficiency,” and “dynamic” driving modes that offer a balance between comfort and dynamic performance. The system increasingly minimizes pitch and roll as the driving mode becomes sportier, thanks to damper control that adjusts the damping of each individual shock absorber to the driving style and road conditions in milliseconds. This paired with the electronic stability control (ESC) system provides a reassuring ride.

To compliment the driving modes, there are three regenerative braking levels that can be selected by using paddles on the steering wheel. One pedal driving is activated via setting the gear selector to B and this can slow the car down to a complete standstill.

However, Audi wouldn’t wish you to have the best steering without paying for it, so the optional progressive steering with a variable steering ratio is included in the Tech plus package, but it does come as standard on the top model with 326 PS.

The A2 e-tron is available with 18 to 20-inch alloy wheels. Tyre widths are from 225 to 235 mm and all tyre sizes are available as winter tyres or summer tyres.

Oddly for an EV, the most efficient configuration is the 19-inch setup with aerodynamically designed wheels.

Standard equipment includes adaptive cruise control, a reversing camera, parking system plus with distance display, and side assist with exit warning and rear cross-traffic assist.

The optional adaptive cruise assist plus with emergency assist combines adaptive cruise control with active lane guidance at speeds of up to 130mph. This system will be updated to include lanes changes on highways at some point after launching.

The adaptive cruise assist plus system also activates the brakes automatically at red lights, coming to a complete standstill at the stop line.

Order and Delivery Dates

The Audi A2 e-tron starts production in Ingolstadt now with UK order books opening in October, and deliveries commencing early 2027. Prices in UK start from £32,200 (OTR).

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About the Author

Graeme Cobb is a lifelong car enthusiast with a passion for writing about cars, EVs, industry updates and more.

You can find Graeme on 𝕏 at @graeme_cobb

Audi A2 reprised as an EV with a laser focus on efficiency and up to 401 miles of range