The A - to – Q of Audi EVs
How Ingolstadt is reinventing its entire line-up for the EV era
A1: MIGHT NOT MAKE IT
The A1 won’t be replaced by more of the same when it runs its course in 2027. If Audi decides to stay in the A0-segment at all, it will tap the downsized MEB platform set to underpin the new VW ID.1 city car. The A1 e-Tron project is currently known as Metrocruiser.
A3: COULD BECOME A2
One size up, the EV A3 would be paired with the next VW ID.3 and could be renamed A2 e-Tron. Described as an urban cocoon, it might spin-off as a crossover and even a racy single-seater. Its modular matrix is reportedly also under consideration at Seat, Skoda and even Porsche.
A4: BOTH PHEV AND EV
The former best-seller is due for replacement in 2023, using the existing MLB evo platform but going big on plug-in hybrid. Along with the usual saloon and Avant estate, a fully-electric A4 e-Tron is expected in 2026. That EV will tap into both Audi’s PPE architecture and VW’s Project Trinity scheme – the basis of the ID.6.
A5: CALL IT A CAB
The A5 coupe will be withdrawn in 2024, sources say, but the convertible may – as a proper four-seater – get a new lease of life after all. The A5 Sportback will be axed.
A6 SALOON REINVENTED
The Shanghai E-Tron Concept is a thinly disguised forerunner of the A6 e-Tron production car scheduled to come to market in 2023 (see main story and image, left).
A8: YOUR PHEV LIMO
Does the A8 have a future? While the luxurious upmarket Landjet (Project Artemis) is all set to take Audi into the £100k-plus electric and autonomous segment from 2025, a reimagined A8 may still continue as a joint project with Bentley (the next Flying Spur) and Porsche (the next Panamera), starting in 2026 as a PHEV only.
Q2: THE EV OF EVOQUES
Audi’s bargain-basement Q-car could piggyback the crossover iteration of VW’s upcoming MEB-A0 components, but it’s much more likely to tap into a shortened VW Trinity layout, which features more advanced batteries, up-to-date software and the latest connectivity. Insiders predict production in 2026.
Q6: A SPORTING SUV
While the next-generation Q3, Q5 and Q7 carry on as predominantly petrol-fed PHEVs, the new Q6 e-Tron due in 2023 shares its PPE51 platform with the A6 e-Tron and electric Porsche Macan. It will be a crossover with a potent driveline, high-performance batteries and a low-drag design.
Q8: BENTLEY’S TWIN
When its replacement arrives in 2025, the flagship SUV is likely to be rebadged Q9 to make numeric room for the all-new Q8 e-Tron. This looks well prepared to become the sister model of the fully electric Bentley DLUX SUV due in 2027.