The upcoming all-electric Audi A2 e-tron has taken the honours for being the most efficient car ever produced by the Ingolstadt-based manufacturer.
Fitted with Audi’s optional ‘efficiency package’ and a 58kWh lithium-iron-phosphate (LFP) cell-to-pack battery optimised for “everyday use”, the 187bhp A2 e-tron achieved an energy consumption rate of 4.85 miles per-kilowatt hour based on the European WLTP efficiency cycle.
While riding on the same MEB platform as the Volkswagen ID 3 and the Cupra Born, the revived Audi A2 comes with plenty of efficiency-maxxing features. Yet given its underpinnings, it doesn’t benefit from the aluminium spaceframe and radical aerodynamics of its now-iconic forebearer from the early 2000s.
The A2 e-tron EV’s body has a drag coefficient of 0.24 Cd, which Audi claims reduces WLTP energy consumption by 0.9 miles per kWh. Up front, the Audi’s rounded front end is offset by side air curtains to redirect airflow and suppress turbulence. Meanwhile, gap reducers and breathers placed between the tyre and the wheel arch smooth airflow as a way of reducing drag and increasing efficiency.
Another innovative feature is an active cool-air intake that remains largely closed to reduce drag and optimise range. Yet during charging, under rapid acceleration or on hot days, the intake opens to let air in and protect the battery and its electronics.
The final piece of the mile-munching puzzle is Audi’s new ‘APP350’ electric motor, which uses a new construction and chemistry to reduce energy losses, and a new, in-house-developed transmission which uses a low-friction oil and a separate oil pan to reduce drag-related losses.
After the new A2 e-tron’s record-breaking run, Audi CEO, Gernot Döllner, said: “The Audi A2 has been a constant in my career ever since I joined the Volkswagen Group in the 1990s. Even then, its groundbreaking three-litre version made efficiency its hallmark.
“This is precisely the vision we are carrying forward with the new A2 e-tron: outstanding efficiency, excellent everyday usability, and a clear understanding of what customers expect from modern electric mobility.”
For reference, the Audi A2 “three-litre” pictured above was named after its fuel-sipping abilities and not a 3.0L internal combustion engine. A specialised model designed with efficiency in mind, the 1.2-litre turbo diesel engine powering the “3L” would consume just three litres of diesel per 100 kilometres, a figure that works out around 94mpg.
When it goes on sale in autumn this year, the A2 e-tron will spearhead Audi’s upcoming wave of next-generation EVs following a tricky start to its electrification programme. Upon arrival, it will join the A6, S6, Q4, Q6 and e-tron models in its electric-only range. A new electric TT based on the Concept C is also set to debut in 2027.
