Right now, it’s expensive to electrify small vehicles.
Audi’s move to electric cars could lead to lineup losses as it shifts away form producing internal combustion engines. According to an Autocar report, Audi is considering discontinuing its A1 entry-level compact due to high costs and slim margins for electrification. The A2 could be revived, or the AudiQ2 could take its place as the entry-level model.
Audi boss Markus Duesmann revealed the A1’s uncertain future during a media scrum before the E-Tron GT was unveiled earlier this week. According to the publication Duesmann stated that a third-generation A1 was unlikely. Duesmann also mentioned that the Q2 could play a new role within an A1-less Audi lineup and that “we might never do anything smaller.” Audi also wants to reduce overlap between its ICE-powered and EV-powered models. This could allow the company to make more ICE models.
However, a compact Audi model is not out of the question. Although rumors of an all-electric A2 have been around for a decade, Autocar reports the automaker is still working to develop such a vehicle – which would be a kind-of successor to A2 MPV Audi’s produced between 1999 and 2005. Duesmann stated that the new A2 would not be a direct design revival, but that the company is still working on something within that segment. It is allegedly based upon the AI:ME concept that the automaker presented at the 2019 Shanghai Auto Show.
Audi will shift to EVs over the next decade. The automaker is likely to phase out gasoline-powered vehicles in favor of electric ones. The brand has also added a pair performance sedans to its electric lineup with the 2022 E-Tron GT, RS E-Tron and the 2022 E-Tron RS E-Tron. Audi is also part of the VW Group, which could help fill in the gap in Audi’s compact car lineup.