You are here:
Green Car News >
Report: Audi to unveil A1 based e-tron concept in Geneva

Report: Audi to unveil A1 based e-tron concept in Geneva

Posted Feb 27th 2010 12:46PM

CommentsAdd

2011 Audi A1 – Click above for high-res image gallery

Audi will finally show off the new A1 mini-car this week at the Geneva Motor Show. As usual, it will be available in Europe with an array of gas and diesel engines. In an interesting twist, though, a French web-site is reporting that Audi will also show a third e-tron concept based on the A1. If Audi sticks with the pattern it started at Detroit, this one will be dubbed the e-tron Geneva Concept car. Reports that Audi plans to build a electric version of the A1 for the road have circulated for some time.

While Audi plans to build a limited run of the R8 based e-tron that debuted at Frankfurt, an electric car based on the new A1 is most likely to be the brand's first volume plug-in vehicle. Small, limited-range, urban commuter vehicles like the A1 will probably dominate the electric car arena for the foreseeable future until battery costs come down. A tip of the hat to quattroholic!

Related Gallery2011 Audi A1

[Source: Le Buzz Auto via quattroholic.com]

Add a Comment

Sign in »

20 Comments

Filter by:

Das Boese

Even if they follow through with this, I don't expect Audi (or any other German automaker for that matter) to seriously commit themselves to becoming competitive in the EV market.
The rigid corporate culture here, as well as the fact that these companies are used to domestic leadership just doesn't favor visionary bold moves like that.

February 28 2010 at 2:03 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

FlappyPaddle

Although and EV would be perfect even in its limited range for me on a daily basis, I dont think I would want one until the range is higher. I would love to see more cars with a KERS type system with a small displacement DI turbo motor and ethanol capable. With the new developments Fiat is coming up with I am hoping that its more realistic. Also cars have to start to drop in weight drastically.

February 28 2010 at 2:01 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Dan Frederiksen

knowing Audi by its reluctance to do the right thing and knowing that only quick recharge EVs and plugin hybrids are commercially viable, I'm not believing this as an honest effort for a second. Even if they make some of them. I think they will be made to fail.

we cannot afford to be pacified by obvious lies. these bastards know only shame and force as motivator. if we believe their lies they do nothing.

February 27 2010 at 8:08 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Kristijonas

@no_one. No, I dont think this audi will be a success in europe, it looks terible, does not have a good economy as it's competitor, has a high price tad, and most of all it has and audi brand name. We have better looking and more economical cars like Alfa Romeo MiTo, FIAT 500, Mini, Polo, bmw 1er, civic and so on.

Audi is riding old technology, they dont bring anything new to the market, just reuse technology from parent VW company. Regarding their electric cars, thats just a marketing trick, I dont think audi has any real plans building them

February 27 2010 at 7:35 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Stew

Is it a coincidence that the paint scheme conjures up thoughts of the Th!nk City with the silver A to C pillar line?

February 27 2010 at 4:42 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

kert

Welcome another addition to concept-car-ville.

February 27 2010 at 4:41 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Ray

Audi is a joke, just cashing in on pretending to be green. The etron is a joke. Audi will build a small joke of a car that goes fifty miles to show how enviable the EV is or they will build a prototype etron and show how absurdly expensive EV's are. If Nissan sells a 100,000 of the Leaf in a short time, Audi will seriously think about building a similar car with similar range, until then they will get all this free publicity pretending to be green while they sell there ICE cars. Don't be fooled by Audi. As a middle income American I have always considered Audi a through away car after 50k miles. No private mechanics like to work on them only money hungry dealers.

February 27 2010 at 3:50 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

3 replies to Ray's comment

letstakeawalk

"Small, limited-range, urban commuter vehicles like the A1 will probably dominate the electric car arena for the foreseeable future until battery costs come down."

I agree.

February 27 2010 at 2:43 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

2 replies to letstakeawalk's comment

David Martin

On what basis versus the rationale I gave?

February 27 2010 at 2:48 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

letstakeawalk

Well, I concede they'll be "luxury" commuters. The small BEVs we've been shown so far certainly aren't aimed at the cheap end of the market. Economically-minded commuters likely will go for a cheap used ICE.

The smaller the battery, the cheaper it can be. The smaller the battery, the less car needed to haul that mass around. Trade-off: a small battery will have a small range.

February 27 2010 at 3:23 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Boyprodigy1

Here's to hoping that they offer scaled battery packs (50 miles, 100 miles, etc...)

February 27 2010 at 2:18 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

2 replies to Boyprodigy1's comment

David Martin

Audi's parent VW at least reckon that an electric car for them has to have a range of 200km minimum:
http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/news/autoexpressnews/235835/vw_to_reveal_electric_car.html

Let's hope this is what Audi is gunning for.

February 27 2010 at 2:30 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

Nicholas

@Boyprodigy1

That is a pretty good idea, considering that this car will appeal to the young and young at heart. Hipsters, this is your new car.

February 27 2010 at 4:03 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

David Martin

'Small, limited-range, urban commuter vehicles like the A1 will probably dominate the electric car arena for the foreseeable future until battery costs come down.'

This seems a dubious assertion.
If battery prices stay high, then luxury cars or at least fairly upmarket ones are much more able to pay for the batteries.
Under those circumstances you would have those and little EV runarounds on the style of the G-Wiz which use tiny batteries.

In the competitive small car market where the Polo and Golf live costings are tight and you need batteries at a good price to compete.

February 27 2010 at 1:14 PM Report abuse Permalink rate up rate down Reply

3 replies to David Martin's comment