New Audi A2 EV Concept – first photos arrive

New Audi A2 EV Concept - first photos

It wouldn’t be a car show without yet another electric car concept from Audi. The difference at Frankfurt is that the already teased EV from Audi isn’t another in the seemingly endless iteration of e-Tron, instead we’re to get an electric car with a proper Audi tag – the Audi A2 Concept EV.

The shame is that Audi seem to have abandoned the range extender route they displayed with the Audi A1 e-Tron – a small Wankel engine in the boot to charge the batteries – and have instead gone down the costly cul-de-sac of a pure EV in the A2.

Smaller and taller than the A1, the Audi A2 looks a bit like a washing machine on wheels. It’s surprisingly evocative of the odd, if innovative, original Audi A2, and seems to be the Audi take on the VW up!

All of which points to the A2 as a long way towards a production version, rather than just the punt for a motor show the e-Trons were.

Which makes us conclude that although the headlines for the A2 are all about its electric gubbins, that’s not going to be the whole story. Yes, an EV is de rigeur for car makers for now, but it’s not the future.

We believe we may very well see the A2 – which will be pitted against the BMW i3 – with not just the elegant range-extender Wankel option, but also with a choice of very frugal 3-pot ICE lumps.

The new Audi A2, with whatever means of locomotion it offers, should arrive in 2013.

(21 photos – click any thumbnail for full gallery)

By Cars UK