--- title: "Audi A3 Replacement Will Be a Small EV" description: "The current Audi A3 will be replaced by a compact electric car by 2027 and a high-performance electric RS3 could follow." date: "2023-03-19" modified: "2023-03-19" authors: - name: "Nico DeMattia" job_title: "Contributing Writer" link: "https://www.thedrive.com/authors/nico-demattia" url: "https://www.thedrive.com/news/audi-a3-replacement-will-be-a-small-ev" categories: - "Audi News" - "News" - "News by Brand" --- # Audi A3 Replacement Will Be a Small EV ![]() Audi's journey into full electrification continues and one of its most important steps along the way will be electrifying one of its smallest and most popular cars. According to *[Autocar]()*, the current [Audi]() A3 will be replaced with a compact EV by 2027. There's no word on exactly what this compact Audi EV will be called but Audi's chief technology officer Oliver Hoffman told *Autocar* that this A-segment EV will be "comparable to the A3." It might still carry the A3 name, just with "e-tron" at the end of it, as that's sort of been Audi's electric naming convention so far. Whatever this electric [Audi A3]() replacement ends up being called, it's going to be quite a bit different from Audi's current crop of EVs. Currently, Audi uses the Volkswagen Group's MEB and J1 platforms, for cars like the[ Q4 e-tron ]()and [e-tron GT](), respectively. However, the EV A3 will be built on VW's new SSP (Scalable Systems Platform) chassis, which is a big step up from the current MEB. ![]() SSP provides its cars with better modularity for more varied vehicle types, a better center of gravity due to a lower floor height, and it supports 800-volt architecture for faster charging. Hoffman claims SSP will support cars with ranges up to 435 miles, though it's unlikely the small A3 replacement will have a sizable enough battery for that. VW even developed SSP with solid-state batteries in mind, so while the tech isn't available yet, it could be in the future. The electric Audi A3 replacement will come in two flavors: five-door hatchback and four-door sedan. If the past is any indicator of the future, North America will likely only get the sedan. Being an EV, the electric A3 will also be rear-wheel-drive, a first for an Audi A3 model. All of VW's and Audi's drive their rear wheels to start, with dual-motor all-wheel-drive powertrains being optional, so you can expect the same from the A3 replacement as well. Hoffman didn't mention further performance models but the natural progression of Audi's lineup suggests that a sportier "S" model and a high-performance "RS" model will be in the future. So it's possible we could also see an electric Audi RS3 before the end of the decade. *Got tips? Send 'em to tips@thedrive.com* ## Author Nico is a writer and reviewer from New Jersey who probably thinks he’s a lot funnier than he actually is. His love of cars began when he was just a kid playing Gran Turismo 3, grinding out enough race wins with a Mazda Miata to save up for an in-game RUF 911. That passion for small, lightweight sports cars drove his desire to learn more about the industry, get his hands on as many cars as he could, and bring those experiences to life on the page. He cut his teeth writing about BMWs, Volkswagens, and Audis, mostly, and has owned far too many of each. He’s on his fourth 3 Series sedan, but all of his old, cheap German cars have forced him to learn more about car maintenance than his mechanical capability can handle. Too many late nights have been spent scrambling to get a car running by morning so he could get to work. For some reason, he never seems to learn that old Bimmers probably aren’t the best daily drivers. But he loves more than just old German cars. He’ll gladly drive and discuss anything with four (or even three) wheels. Cars aren’t his only passions, though. Nico is also a big nerd and loves movies, video games, comic books, and cares far too much about the New York Giants. So don’t be surprised if you see football references or dumb, obscure movie quotes in any of his car reviews. ### Author social links [Instagram]() [LinkedIn]()