How Audi cut nearly two years from A2 e-tron development
By Anthony Sharkey, Chief Operating Officer, New Reg Limited
Audi has unveiled the A2 e-tron, an entry-level electric model built at Ingolstadt using a development process nearly two years shorter than previous projects.
Audi has unveiled the A2 e-tron, a new entry-level electric car that reaches showrooms in October and was brought to market through a significantly compressed development programme. According to multiple reports, the Volkswagen subsidiary reduced the time it took to develop the vehicle by close to two years compared with earlier projects, a notable shift in how the German manufacturer approaches new model creation.
The car will be offered with three different battery size options, giving buyers a degree of choice over range and cost that is relatively unusual at the entry-level end of the electric market. Audi has not yet published full pricing details across the range, but the availability of multiple battery configurations suggests the brand is aiming to cover different budgets within a single model line.
Production takes place at Audi's established Ingolstadt plant in Germany, where the brand has adapted its manufacturing processes to accommodate the new model. The decision to build the A2 e-tron at an existing facility rather than a purpose-built one reflects the broader industry trend of integrating electric vehicle production into conventional factories.
For UK buyers, the arrival of an entry-level Audi electric model in October adds a mainstream option to the growing field of smaller EVs. The shortened development cycle points to Audi's wider effort to respond more quickly to changes in the electric vehicle market, though the company has not publicly detailed every method used to achieve the time saving.