Audi recently confirmed its fully-autonomous driving technology will be ready for use in a “small series of cars” by 2021. Now, a new report is indicating the company will use the technology on a pint-size production model.
Autocar says the German automaker is planning to build a small electric vehicle similar to the Volkswagen e-Up. The car will come with autonomous driving technology and be produced in small numbers.
The limited production run suggests Audi will use the model as a technological test bed, it is speculated however that it could go into wider production if initial results are positive. As for its name, it could be called the A0 e-tron, as it will reportedly be smaller than the A1 and come with an electric powertrain.
Audi’s diminutive EV would likely be based on the next-generation Volkswagen Up!. There’s no word on specifications, but the current e-Up has a 18.7 kWh lithium-ion battery which powers an electric motor that develops 82 PS (80 hp) and 210 Nm (155 lb-ft) of torque. This enables the car to accelerate from 0-100 km/h (0-62 mph) in 12.4 seconds before hitting a top speed of 128 km/h (80 mph).
Should the rumors pan out, the A0 would become the smallest car produced by the company since the Audi 50, which was built between 1974 and 1978.
Audi A2 concept pictured
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