Rumors Suggest Electric Audi A1 Is in the Works

Electrified A1

Audi has been hard at work developing electric vehicles to add to its lineup and intends to have 20 of them on sale across four platforms by the year 2025. So it makes sense to wonder if at least one of them will be an electrified version of the A1, which could be positioned as the entry-level EV. Now, it looks like that could be a strong possibility, like some recently discovered documents by Inside EVs show.

Photos: Audi

Concrete Proof?

Inside EVs discovered that a small number of new registrations for all-electric A1s showed up in Germany's database recently, which seems like pretty concrete proof that Audi is working on such a machine. These small EVs are likely underpinned by Volkswagen's Modular Electric Drive Toolkit (MEB), which is slated for use in Audi's small and medium-sized electric vehicles.

Photos: Audi

>>Join the conversation about a possible EV A1 right here in Audiworld.com.

Other Possibilities

Regardless, it's also possible that these electric A1s are simply testing mules for another platform. But Audi has been toying around with the idea of an electric A1 for years now. In fact, they rolled out a plug-in version of the car way back in 2010 at the Geneva Motor Show, which would have made a nice competitor to the BMW i3.

Photos: Audi

>>Join the conversation about a possible EV A1 right here in Audiworld.com.

Making a Case

If the electric A1 is real, Inside EVs suggests that it could offer up around 200 miles of range. And truthfully, the brand could certainly use such a machine in its lineup. The entry-level EV world is getting more competitive by the day, with cars like the Honda E attracting a ton of attention. 

Photos: Audi

>>Join the conversation about a possible EV A1 right here in Audiworld.com.

Possible Positioning

Volkswagen is already working on the small hatchback dubbed ID.3, so perhaps Audi is readying a version of it for their lineup. Whether or not it'll wear the A1 badge remains to be seen. But building a car like this would give Audi a small, entry level, luxurious alternative for those seeking a premium electric vehicle.

Photos: Audi

>>Join the conversation about a possible EV A1 right here in Audiworld.com.

Working the Plan

Building an A1 EV may seem like a no-brainer, but this entire exercise could be something completely different, too. So for now, at least, we'll just have to wait and see what comes of it. But you can bet that Audi will eventually market something other than just premium-priced electric vehicles, and an A1 might just be part of that plan.

Photos: Audi

>>Join the conversation about a possible EV A1 right here in Audiworld.com.

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