Rather than utilizing the steadfastly simple New Small Family (NSF) platform underpinning the Volkswagen Up!, Audi and corporate partners Skoda and Seat are looking to modify the MQB architecture used by the Volkswagen Golf. While Audi is pledging to produce a plug-in version of every car in its lineup eventually, it’s still going to need more affordable fully electric vehicles to go along with its upcoming 300+ mile SUV EV.
A 125-mile all-electric Audi, however, would slot in nicely against the likes of the BMW i3 and Mercedes-Benz B-Class. While power is likely to be capped at 90 kW/120 horsepower, clever storage of the batteries under the front seat and behind the rear wheel would preserve interior room, making it more spacious than combustion-powered competitors. A gas and diesel version is also likely (despite much of Europe moving away from diesel engines).
That all said, a new Audi city car, electric or otherwise, probably won’t arrive anytime before 2020. By then, who knows what the electric car playing field might look like? A 125-mile EV might just seem outdated by then.
One can only hope, right?
