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Audi E1 will be based on the New Small Family (NSF) range from VW. This is the VW Up concept, but the proportions indicate what we can expect from VW

Audi's electric car plans: five new green eco models (2009)

By Georg Kacher

Spyshots

16 January 2009 10:55

Audi has approved a new strategy to build a range of eco cars. The plan was given the green light just before Christmas and will spawn a family of clean, low CO2 cars, dubbed internally E1 to E5 and spanning everything from a small city car to sports cars.

In mid-December 2008, the strategy board rubber-stamped the proposed E1 entry-level eco-car. It's Audi's response to homegrown rival BMW's Project i – a suite of innovative, low-emissions models to keep premium car sales buoyant in a carbon age.

What follows is a top-secret insight into what the R&D team at Ingolstadt is considering:

Audi E1: the electric car

The smallest clean Audi is dubbed E1 and is based on Volkswagen's NSF family. That's essentially the sub-Polo mini car based on the VW Up concept, which will also be badged as a Seat and Skoda. However, Audi won't dabble with badge engineering and will rebody the E1, so it looks quite different inside and out to the VW Up pictured. The E1 will have an electric engine option later in the programme, but also a series of tiny petrol and diesel engines. Our engineering source said: 'Because of the ultra-compact dimensions, the three-door version is not ideal for a hybrid application, but the four-door cars could easily package a battery pack and an electric motor positioned between the rear wheels.'

Audi E2: the eco sports car

Don't assume all the clean Audis will be dull. E2 is Audi's iteration of the VW BlueSport concept car – and it'll be a mid-engined sports car aimed at the Mazda MX-5 family. Clean aero, light weight and a string of stingy powerplants will ensure the E2 is a clean, green sports car. Audi favours a pair of three-cylinder engines: a 1.2 FSI (75bhp/110Nm) or 1.2 TDI (75bhp/180Nm). Electrification is an option, but with one kilowatt hour costing between €400 and €1000 depending on technology, the battery pack powering a 60bhp e-motor with a 60-mile range would add at least €5000 to the grand total. And that's perhaps too much for this size class, Audi worries...

>> Click 'Next' to read about the new Audi E3, E4 and E5