Audi A3 e-tron plug-in hybrid

The Audi A3 e-tron could be a direct competitor for the likes of the Toyota Prius, providing that it enters production.

Due to be unveiled at next month’s Geneva Motor Show, the e-tron is a plug-in hybrid that combines a specially modified 148 bhp (110 kW / 150 PS) 1.4 litre petrol engine with a 100 bhp (75 kW / 102 PS) electric motor.

Audi A3 E-tron Plug-in Hybrid (2013) Front Side

Together, they give a total system output of 201 bhp (150 kW / 204 PS), while peak torque is 350 Nm (258 lb/ft). As a result, the A3 can accelerate from rest to 62 mph (100 km/h) in 7.6 seconds, before going on to a top speed of 138 mph (222 km/h).

But the point of the e-tron is efficiency, not performance. Accordingly, its ECE fuel consumption figure is an astounding 188.3 mpg imperial (156.8 mpg US / 1.5 l/100km) and carbon dioxide emissions are rated at just 35 g/km. In full-electric mode, the maximum range is around 30 miles (50 kilometres), which should be enough for many drivers’ commutes.

However, Audi is remaining coy about the A3 e-tron’s prospects as a showroom model, saying only that it ‘will provide a realistic glimpse into the future of mobility’.

Related post:
2013 Audi S3 revealed

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