Audi expects 5 percent of its total sales to be electric cars by 2020, the German brand’s technology chief told Automotive News.
At the Geneva auto show last week, Audi unveiled the A1 e-tron, a nearly production-ready concept developed from its new A1 subcompact.
Although it has not yet officially announced production plans, Audi’s Michael Dick has revealed the A1 e-tron is very likely to hit showrooms after an anticipated three-year development phase.
The first e-tron, which debuted at the 2009 IAA in Frankfurt, is a near-series high-performance sports car with electric motors for all four wheels. The study shown at the Detroit Motor Show in 2010 is a lightweight, compact two-seater with two electric motors on the rear axle. At Geneva Motor Show, Audi showed an A1 e-tron.
New rumors are cropping up about a possible successor to the A2. The new A2 would likely be A1-based and use an electric powertrain, possibly sourced from the A1 e-tron concept.
”The strength of the electric car clearly lies in the urban mobility area, where the demand for emission-free local transportation will strongly increase,” said Michael Dick.
[source: Automotive News / Subscription required]
