It is reported that the compact electric car is scheduled to hit the market in 2027, and the development cycle will be shortened to about three years, in order to compete with fast-rising Chinese competitors. With the end of the Audi A1 and Q2 models, the A3 hatchback and Q3 will be the smallest models in Audi’s range of fuel cars. It is worth mentioning that the A3 has just completed the transformation, and the new Q3 is also about to be launched.

Dorner declined to give too many details about the new car, saying only that it would be positioned below the Audi Q4 e-tron and that “it will be a wonderful, unique, independent model concept that will be produced in Ingolstadt and something we can all look forward to.”

Given the popularity of SUV models, this entry-level electric car is likely to adopt a high-chassis crossover design rather than the traditional hatchback styling, forming a sister model with the fuel Q3.

IT House noted that at last year’s Munich Motor Show, Audi’s then technical director Oliver Hoffman hinted that the new model would use Volkswagen Group’s MEB electric vehicle platform (which is also used in the Q4 e-tron), rather than Audi’s more high-end PPE platform, which is mainly used in large cars. For example, the new Audi Q6 e-tron SUV. Dorner did not rule out using the MEB platform, but he insisted that “no final decision has been made on which platform to use.”

Dorner also made it clear that there would be no electric successor to the A1: “It’s not going to be a car that’s only four meters long. I wouldn’t be that opinionated. We will not launch a direct electric successor to the A1 or Q2.”

While Dorner didn’t say what name the new car might use, Audi recently adjusted its model numbering strategy to use even numbers for electric cars and odd numbers for fuel cars. This hints that Audi’s future entry-level electric cars may be called the A2 e-tron or Q2 e-tron, although they will have nothing to do with previous models with the same name.