2021 Audi A3 Sportback 45 TFSI e offers entry-level electric power

As the VW group carries on their frantic bid to electrify everything with four-wheels in their house, Audi is expanding their “green” range as well. Next in line is the 2021 Audi A3 Sportback hatchback, now in “45 TFSI e” form.

The Audi A3 Sportback’s foray into the plug-in hybrid segment comes after the arrival of the VW Golf GTE, Cupra Leon, and the Skoda Octavia RS iV. Just like its siblings, the 2021 Audi A3 Sportback 45 TFSI e uses a turbocharged 1.4-litre petrol engine paired with an electric motor and a 13-kWh battery pack. The power and torque outputs are identical as well, at 242 hp and 400 Nm respectively. The combo powers the front wheels through a six-speed automatic transmission. It runs from 0 to 100 kph in 6.8 seconds and onwards to a top speed of 232 kph.

The Audi A3 Sportback 45 TFSI e’s 13-kWh battery pack can be charged in almost five hours, from a house socket. Being a plug-in hybrid, it can run purely on electric juice, up to 63 km, based on the WLTP cycle. In this pure-EV mode, the top-speed is limited to 140 kph.

To emphasize the electrified nature of the A3 45 TFSI e, the Sportback gets daytime running lamps in the form of an “E”. The front fascia is also adorned with matrix-LED headlamps and a glossy black finish for the grille. The brakes are also larger than the smaller 40 TFSI e on sale in Europe.

The Audi A3 Sportback 45 TFSI e has a small chance of making to UAE and GCC shores, given that the A3 is now offered only as a sedan. At the end of the day, price will be a factor in expanding the market for hybrids further in the Middle East more than the body style.