Audi A3-Sized Luxury EV Expected To Launch In 2026

A major issue many drivers have with today’s electric vehicles is that they’re too expensive. Even EVs from mainstream brands all too often carry hefty window stickers. Not surprisingly, however, this pricing problem is particularly acute with luxury brands, though German automaker Audi is working to address this very issue. Despite some bumps in the electrification road, the four-ring brand is still planning on introducing more battery-powered vehicles, including an entry-level model, supposedly with an affordable price tag.

Audi

Divisions

Audi Sport GmbH

Founded

July 16, 1909

Founder

August Horch

Headquarters

Ingolstadt, Germany

Current CEO

Markus Duesmann

Status

Active

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An A3-Sized Electric Vehicle Is In The Works

As reported by the Süddeutsche Zeitung, Audi is planning on introducing an A3-sized all-electric vehicle. This was confirmed by the automaker’s CEO, Gernot Döllner, who succinctly told the Süddeutsche Zeitung, “It will be an electric vehicle in the same class as the A3.” Initially, this popularly priced vehicle was planned to hit the market in 2027, but the launch has been pulled ahead to next year.
Aside from its existence and accelerated introduction schedule, almost nothing is known about this upcoming all-electric Audi. The vehicle could be a fancied-up version of the Volkswagen ID.3, a compact five-door hatchback, though this car is already half a decade old, so Audi might want something a little fresher for its upcoming small EV.
This new luxury model could be based on the Volkswagen ID.2all concept car that debuted back in March of 2023. A production version of this vehicle is expected to go on sale beginning in 2026 with a starting price of around €25,000, roughly $27,000 based on recent currency exchange rates.

Volkswagen

Another potential foundation for this upcoming all-electric A3-sized vehicle is the recently unveiled Volkswagen ID.Every1 concept. This is probably less likely than the ID.2all design study, as the production version of this car is projected to be even more affordably priced, starting at just €20,000 ($22,000), a modern-day bargain.
Both the ID.2all and the ID.Every1 are hatchbacks that wear very clean, elegant styling. It looks like these vehicles were inspired by the original Volkswagen Golf, an absolutely iconic vehicle that debuted way back in the mid-1970s.
As for specifics, the ID.2all is based on VW’s MEB Entry platform and promises up to 450 km of range, about 280 miles, on the generous WLTP test cycle. This concept is also graced with around 222 horsepower, which should be more than enough for a relatively small vehicle like this.
TopSpeed’s Take

Volkswagen

The challenge for Audi in building an affordably priced EV is to make it feel like a proper luxury car. It’s relatively easy to badge engineer a new model by using existing platforms, powertrains, hardware, and technology, but making sure a vehicle feels like it fits in a new brand’s model lineup is something many companies struggle with.
The good news, however, is that Audi has been doing this for decades and is exceptionally good at it. Many Volkswagen and Audi models share a significant number of components, yet Audis often look and feel almost completely different from their more mass-market counterparts.