Audi Turned Its Weirdest Hatch Into an EV

The Audi A2 was an oddity when it launched 25 years ago. It had short overhangs, a tall roof, and an aluminum body. But the five-door hatch only existed for about five years. A team of Audi apprentices has now revived the funky hatch for the modern era by turning it into an electric vehicle.

Audi didn’t provide details about the A2 E-Tron’s powertrain, as this is just a one-off project, but we can see the team made several exterior changes. The A2 now features illuminated badges like the E-Tron models on sale today, new front and rear fascias, a new grille, updated headlights and taillights, shaved door handles, and a relocated license plate.

The A2 went on sale 25 years ago with a selection of small gasoline and diesel engines, but its most stand-out feature was its aluminum body—a novelty at the time. However, the futuristic panels weren’t enough to entice customers, and Audi struggled to sell the model.

Production lasted until the 2005 model year when the automaker discontinued the model. The A2 name remained dormant until Audi teased a revival at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show, showing off a compact and attractive electric concept. But it never entered production.

Audi launched the super-compact Audi A1 in 2010, slotting below the A3 in the lineup and leaving little room for the A2. If it ever did go back into production, we hope a new A2 would look exactly like this one.