Audi A3 to become electric only in 2027
The fifth-generation Audi A3 will be offered only as an electric vehicle, and according to official sources, both the hatchback and sedan models will stop offering gasoline, diesel, and plug-in hybrid engines by the year 2027.
Next-gen Audi A3: platform and powertrain
The Volkswagen Group's innovative electric SSP (Scalable Systems Platform) skateboard-style architecture, which will premiere on the future ID.4 sedan, will serve as the foundation for the fifth-generation A3. The forthcoming A3 will, however, compete with the Volkswagen ID.3.
According to reports, this platform has been built to accommodate a new 800V electric architecture that will provide noticeably quicker charging times than the current 400V system on MEB-based cars.
Additionally, the new platform will support charging rates of up to 270kWh, giving the A3 a 129Km driving range in just 10 minutes. According to Markus Duesmann, CEO of Audi, the SSP architecture would employ a "unified cell format" and have a 700km range. Lower floor heights and more flexibility for improved model differentiation are two benefits of the new architecture over the existing MEB structure.
For the first time since the model's inception in 1996, the conventional variants of the future electric A3 will forgo front-wheel drive; however, the performance versions are anticipated to feature two electric motors with four-wheel drive - akin to the petrol-powered S3 and RS3 models.
Next-gen Audi A3: expected design and future
According to Autocar UK, a sister publication of ours, the next-generation A3 will be designed as a four-door sedan and a five-door hatchback, both with incrementally larger interiors. Thanks to the new SSP platform, the design modifications include shorter overhangs, a shorter bonnet line, a longer interior, and a larger wheelbase.
Additionally, it implies that the RS3 will be the brand's entry point into its electrified performance lineup, which is led by the RS e-Tron GT. The electrification of the A3 lineup is also consistent with previous statements made by Markus Duesmann, the CEO of Audi, who stated that all new Audi cars will only be electric starting in 2026.
Audi in India
Although the all-electric Audi A3 and its sportier variants won't be available in our market for a while, its global introduction is still fairly far off. In India, the company presently offers sales of the e-Tron, e-Tron Sportback, e-Tron GT, and RS e-Tron GT.