Audi Q2 e-tron Test Mule Spied

Spy photographers have again encountered a test mule that is believed to be a Q2 e-tron. The vehicle was seen out testing in cold-weather climates, consditions that are extra critical when testing an electric drivetrain as battery performance drops in colder weather.

Visual cues from the production Q2 are numerous. Even with the usual distracting vinyl wrap covering much of the Q2 test mule, these photos still reveal a different design of the front bumpers and a changed grille. Segments of the front bumper itself seem to be consistent with LED light signatures on other e-tron models, suggesting these sections are painted black on the mule but would be backlit by LED lighting in a production Q2 e-tron. At the rear, there are no tailpipes.

Audi has made little secret of the fact that a long wheelbase Q2 is bound for the Chinese market. An e-tron variant of that is expected.

A fully electric Q2 is an interesting consideration. Most upcoming Volkswagen Group electric vehicles in development now are headed toward the MEB architecture, the e-tron GT / Porsche Taycan architecture, and then there’s the Audi e-tron itself. The Q2 instead uses the group’s MQB modular transverse (engine) matrix. That architecture is produced with a mix of engines, several hybrid drivetrains including the A3 e-tron (Sportback) and also the fully-electric Volkswagen eGolf.

How the Q2 e-tron shakes out is likely fully electric. Whether or not Q2 makes it to market in the USA is also interesting to consider. That it’s not here in the USA already has seemed to suggest it wasn’t part of the plan. To be clear, we’ve heard no rumors of it coming to the USA thus far. Even still, Audi chose to reserve the current A3 Sportback for e-tron duty only as it then saw the value of a unique body style. Add to that the American market’s leadership in consumer tastes trending toward crossovers and an e-tron only Q2 may make sense. Of course, all of this is conjecture and only time will tell, but it is an interesting thing to consider as we examine this test mule.

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