A month after revealing the technology behind its new A2 e-tron, Audi has answered perhaps the more important question: what will its new electric entry model actually cost? In Belgium, prices start at €38,450, while the version offering the headline 646-kilometer WLTP range comes in at €48,550.

That puts the A2 e-tron in an interesting position. It is clearly more expensive than its technically closely related Volkswagen ID.3 Neo, but the premium attached to the four rings is smaller than might have been expected. More importantly for Audi, the A2 substantially lowers the financial barrier to entry for its electric range.

When we examined the A2 e-tron in August, Audi had already revealed its main technical weapon: exceptionally low consumption.

The 140 kW version with an optional efficiency package achieves 12.8 kWh/100 km according to WLTP measurements, helped by a drag coefficient of only 0.24. What remained unknown was whether Audi would price that efficiency aggressively enough to turn it into a meaningful volume model. We now have the answer.

Four versions from €38,450

The Belgian range opens with a 125 kW rear-wheel-drive version using a 52 kWh LFP battery. It offers up to 423 km WLTP range and costs €38,450. DC charging peaks at a relatively modest 100 kW, but Audi claims a 10-to-80% charge still takes only 24 minutes.

Above it sits the 140 kW version with a larger 61 kWh LFP battery, 515 km of range and a €42,950 price tag. Fast charging increases only slightly to 105 kW, while the same charging window takes 26 minutes.

The likely sweet spot is the €48,550 A2 e-tron with 170 kW and the larger 84 kWh NMC battery. Its WLTP range reaches 646 km, while DC charging increases substantially to 183 kW. Charging from 10 to 80% takes 29 minutes.

Finally, €51,350 buys the 240 kW flagship with 545 Nm, a 0-to-100 km/h time of 5.7 seconds and a 200 km/h top speed. Performance costs a little: it manages 630 km on the same 84 kWh battery.

How expensive is the Audi premium?

The comparison with Volkswagen is revealing. The new ID.3 Neo Trend, also with 170 hp and around 50 kWh of battery capacity, has a Belgian catalog price of €34,990 and offers about 417 km WLTP. Audi therefore asks only around €3,500 extra at list price for its entry-level A2.

Volkswagen is currently promoting that ID.3 for €32,790, making the actual difference larger, but the A2 is nevertheless far removed from the traditional premium-brand price gap. The ID.3 Neo itself reaches up to roughly 627 km and 183 kW charging in its larger-battery versions.

Other premium alternatives show why Audi’s positioning matters. Volvo’s smaller EX30 starts at €36,270 in Belgium, while the BMW iX1 now lists at around €51,200. Mercedes asks €49,610 for the electric CLA.

The Mercedes also provides an interesting reality check for Audi’s efficiency claim. The A2 may be the most efficient Audi ever, but not necessarily the most efficient premium EV.

Mercedes quotes as little as 12.7 kWh/100 km for the CLA 200 Electric, compared with Audi’s 12.8 kWh/100 km. The CLA can also charge at up to 320 kW and offers up to 791 km of range in its most range-focused configuration, although it is a considerably larger and more expensive car.

More than a cheap Audi

Audi has meanwhile disclosed considerably more about what buyers get for their money. The 2.77-meter wheelbase creates a surprisingly roomy cabin, while the luggage compartment holds 396 liters or 1,336 liters with the rear seats folded. The dashboard combines an 11.9-inch digital instrument display with a curved 12.8-inch touchscreen.

There is also a new modular Fidlock mounting system for cup holders, bags and charging accessories, while more than 300 components contain recycled steel, aluminum or plastics. Production takes place alongside the combustion-engined A3 in Ingolstadt.

The A2 also supports Vehicle-to-Load, allowing its battery to power external devices. However, Belgian buyers should not yet confuse that with Vehicle-to-Home. Audi previously confirmed V2H for Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, but the Belgian launch information explicitly mentions only V2L.

Orders open this autumn, with the first Belgian deliveries scheduled for December. The original A2 became famous for being technically clever but commercially difficult.

More than two decades later, Audi appears determined not to make the same mistake. At €38,450, the new A2 e-tron is still unmistakably a premium EV – but perhaps surprisingly, not priced like an extravagant one.