Audi is ready to take its etron vehicle strategy on the road and one of its first all-electric offerings will come in the form of the A3.

Based on Audi's entry-level hatchback, the A3 etron is packing an electric motor under the hood which sends power from the rear- and mid-mounted battery packs to the front wheels. Output is rated at 100 kW (just over 130 horsepower) and 199 pound-feet of torque, with the 26.5 kWh lithium-ion batteries providing a range of around 90 miles. The electric A3's performance is far from enthralling, requiring 11 seconds to hit 60 mph and topping out at just 90 mph, but with a 400-volt rapid charger, getting juiced up can take as little as four hours – or as long as nine with a standard 110-volt outlet.

Other modifications include a new gauge cluster, a low consumption HVAC system and a heated windshield, but when the A3 etron is set to hit the market is still up in the air. The R8-based flaghip will supposedly go on sale sometime in 2013, but if Audi wants to get in on the EV action sooner – much like BMW is doing with its ActiveE 1 Series – the A3 could be a worthy stop-gap until in the interim.



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