Modest in its external proportions, the all-new Audi A2 e-tron represents a design triumph that brings with it a number of firsts, including the enviable achievement of being the most efficient Audi ever produced. The newest addition to the brand’s all-electric portfolio manages to consume just 12.8 kWh per 100km and can deliver up to 646km of range (according to WLTP) depending on the particular model configuration and equipment. This is due in part to its aerodynamic design – its ‘teardrop’ shape achieving a drag coefficient of just 0.24, which is the best in the compact segment. But its efficiency is not confined to driveline and exterior design, but rather extends to every conceivable aspect of the new model, including the clever use of space in the vehicle’s interior to provide extraordinary room for occupants and outstanding appointment, despite its modest exterior dimensions and wheelbase of just 2.77 metres.

Manufactured in Ingolstadt, the Audi A2 e-tron also showed a new turn of speed in terms of its development time, taking almost two years less to develop and ready for production than predecessor models and also adopting a more efficient production model. It also sees the use of up to 300 components made from recycled materials depending on the model configuration.

If the name sounds familiar, it should be. That’s because this is not the first time the Audi A2 designation has been used. The ‘original’ A2 produced from 2000 was likewise a triumph of efficiency and design, its lightweight all-aluminium body shell and slippery shape (Sd of 0.25) coupled with efficient engine solutions made it a groundbreaking vehicle at the time. That its name and shape should be renewed for the all-electric age makes perfect sense as well as imbuing the new model with an irresistible sense of history (for those of us old enough to remember the first A2 at least).

“The A2 e-tron is more than a new model,” says Audi CEO Gernot Döllner. “It shows how we are rethinking premium … using resources more intelligently without compromising on quality, technology, or customer experience.”

The Audi A2 e-tron is currently under evaluation for Australia, but at launch in Europe it will hit the road with four different power levels and three battery sizes, from an entry-level variant with 125kW and 350 Nm to the top model with 240kW and 545Nm – all driving the rear wheels. Accompanying battery sizes of 52, 61 and 84 kWh give tremendous versatility and range. The top-of-the-line version with 240kW and the 84 kWh battery is capable of a range of up to 630 kilometres, while the 140kW variant with an optional efficiency package consumes just 12.8 kWh per 100 kilometres to make it the most efficient Audi ever produced.

Obviously the design plays a significant role in that efficiency, the 0.24 Cd achieved through the overall shape as well as attention to the likes of adopting electric door handles and new aero wheels with a more closed-off design and a smooth transition from tyre to rim, as well as tight panel gaps and narrowing the gap between the wheel and the wheel arch. This attention to detail also translates to an extraordinarily quiet interior, with optimised exterior mirrors housings door seals with dual sealing lines, and a water deflector channeling along the window edges all contributing to low noise levels. While a tailgate seal reduces wind noise in the area behind the antenna, where airflow velocity is particularly high.

Riding on alloy wheels from 18-inch right up to 20-inch depending on the configuration, and with Audi’s state-of-the-art lighting, including optional Matrix LED headlights and LED rear lights pro, the diminutive new Audi offers all of the advanced technology, lighting and safety systems from its much larger siblings. That extends to the size and space on offer inside the A2 e-tron, where the vehicle’s footprint has been maximised to provide ‘bigger on the inside’ feel to the interior. Here, quality materials and a very clean, considered layout makes the most of the cabin, the central design element, the Softwrap – is a soft, fabric-covered surface that extends from the dashboard across the door panels and into the rear, rising all the way to the window ledge trim.

The ergonomically contoured seats promote a comfortable seating position and offer a high level of comfort and a relaxed driving experience, and clever storage solutions abound. For example, the front doors alone can hold drink bottles up to 1.25 litres and the central console a 1.5 litre bottle and there are numerous areas to stow bags, phones and day-to-day items.

Then there is the patented Fidlock system which uses magnets and a mechanical locking mechanism to secure objects like cupholders and charging cable bags as well as tie-down straps that can be secured with one hand. Audi continues to expand the Fidlock ecosystem and all compatible Fidlock products – such as those for cycling or outdoor activities – can also be used in the A2 e-tron. Three additional Fidlock points are optionally available in the boot with two in the left side panel and one in the right side panel.

Speaking of the boot, it offers up 396 litres of storage space with all seats upright, but expands to 1,336 litres with the rear seats folded flat.

Further storage is made available up front on the central console with the gear selector moved to the steering column and on the multifunction steering wheel, enhanced controls combine touch-sensitive surfaces with a central roller and a recessed grip for improved tactile feedback. As standard, the MMI panoramic display combines the 11.9-inch Audi virtual cockpit plus and the 12.8-inch curved MMI touch display – fully oriented toward the driver. An optional augmented reality head-up display projects speed, navigation instructions and other information directly into the driver's field of view.

And the whole interior can be transformed with the addition of the optional panoramic sunroof – a massive 1.6 metre panel that has been treated to protect occupants from UV light.

Technology is everything you would expect from an Audi with outstanding connectivity and systems and the likes of ambient lighting and as many as three sound systems to choose from – the top offering being the Sonos premium sound system with 14 high-performance speakers, including a subwoofer, as well as 15 amplifier channels and 660 watts of maximum amplifier power. Speakers near the C-pillar create a surround sound experience.

Then there are the drive and associated systems which include things like the e-tron route planner, which predictively schedules charging stops and conditions the battery in advance to ensure maximum charging capacity. The system considers traffic conditions, route topography, and the availability and output of charging stations in real time.

The A2 e-tron also features bidirectional charging which transforms the vehicle into a mobile power source. That means that using Vehicle-to-Load (V2L), the A2 e-tron is able to power electrical devices directly from the vehicle. Also, in Germany, Austria and Switzerland, owners will be able to take advantage of Vehicle-to-Home (V2H) functions, allowing energy from the high-voltage battery of the A2 e-tron to be supplied to the home via a compatible wall box. The high-voltage battery acts as a storage system for solar power generated at home and can feed surplus energy from the vehicle into the household electrical system.

Back on the road, the A2 e-tron also delivers in terms of its driving dynamics, with suspension with damper control adjusting the damping of each individual shock absorber to the driving style and road conditions within milliseconds. The ‘comfort’, ‘balanced’, ‘efficiency’ and ‘dynamic’ driving modes enabling a finely adjusted balance between comfort and dynamic performance – the system increasingly minimises pitch and roll as the driving mode becomes sportier.

Three regenerative braking levels can be selected using paddles on the steering wheel and the braking system is supported by an electronic stability control (ESC) system specifically tuned to the A2 e-tron. The linear steering is standard, while progressive steering can also be optioned or is standard on the 240kW model.

Of course safety is always of paramount importance and to that end, the safety and driver assistance systems are extensive and on a par with those found in the large, luxury Audi models.

Indeed, the A2 e-tron represents the very essence of the brand condensed into new compact dimensions. That it has been designed to suit the modern lifestyle with an unabashed emphasis on efficiency goes without saying and yet the fact that it manages to do this while still exhibiting all of the brand’s trademark attributes is a testament to the designers’ ingenuity. While the Audi A2 e-tron will go on sale in Europe by year’s end, it is still currently under evaluation for Australia. But, given the growing demand for premium electric vehicles in Australia and the continued relevance of EV incentives, a vehicle of this size and positioning would be a strong fit for local customers seeking accessible premium electric mobility.