Audi Planning New A3-Sized EV Replacement

Mar. 16, 2023 5:01 PM ET by Ian Wright Electric Vehicles / 4 Comments

Audi is rushing towards an all-electric future.

During Audi AG's Annual Media Conference, CEO Markus Duesmann and CFO Jurgen Rittersberger talked in general terms about its move to electrification but specifically said, "We recently decided to launch an additional electric entry-level model below the Audi Q4 e-tron as well." There's no direct confirmation that it would be a direct replacement for the Audi A3, but Audi has mentioned an A-segment car before, and Duesmann stated explicitly that the brand will have an electric vehicle in each core segment by 2027.

It's likely that the A3 as we know it and its electric counterpart will be on sale together as they cross over, but Audi is going to go all-electric. That means it plans to replace the A3.

Audi

"We are on the verge of the biggest product initiative in our history," said Duesmann. "By 2025, we will have launched around 20 new models, more than 10 of which will be all-electric. We have set the course to go 100% electric. By 2027, we seek to offer an all-electric vehicle in each core segment."

Audi cites the success of its premium electric models as confirmation the brand is on the right track. Sales of all-electric models increased by 44 percent year on year," Duesmann said, "The high demand for our Audi Q4 e-tron, Audi e-tron GT1 and Audi e-tron models confirms that we are on the right track toward e-mobility."

Audi

Our Take: Proceed With Caution

Audi's corporate owners, Volkswagen AG, committed hard to going all-electric following the drawn-out Dieselgate scandal. As a result of trying to pivot so hard to distance itself from emissions cheating, it has ignored hybrid drivetrains. The problem is that for the foreseeable future, given the current state of charging networks and how many people globally don'tdon't dwell somewhere with a garage to install a charger in, that could be a misstep.

Audi is seeing its premium electric cars sell well, but premium car buyers do not tend to live in apartments and typically have home garages, which means it's easy enough to install and use a home charger. Audi targets younger professionals with its A3, and that's a demographic that often lives in apartments. And they will quickly discover the frustration of trying to use public chargers in their current state.