(Another) Audi A3 e-tron hybrid at Geneva 2013

The Audi A3 e-tron – a hybrid A3 EV based on the A3 Sportback – will debut at the 2013 Geneva Motor Show as a concept.

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Audi’s e-tron plans have made plenty of noise but haven’t turned in to anything you can go and buy in your local Audi showroom. But that may change with the arrival of the Audi A3 e-tron as a concept at next month’s Geneva Motor Show.

This Audi A3 e-tron isn’t a pointless electric supercar – like the R8 e-tron – or another rollout of the A3 e-tron BEV, but a hybrid A3 with a proper ICE engine coupled to an electric motor, just like the A3 e-tron concept we saw in Shanghai in 2011

That still means a lot of complicated and heavy technology to game the silly official economy tests and come up with ‘official’ economy figures of 158mpg and 35g/km, but the A3 e-tron would – if it were made – offer big tax breaks for company car drivers.

The A3 e-tron gets a 1.4 litre direct injection petrol engine good for 148bhp working with an electric motor good for an extra 100bhp. Maximum combined output is a thoroughly decent 201bhp and 258lb/ft of torque, enough to get the A3 e-tron to 62mph in 7.6 seconds.

Audi a3 e-tron Concept pictures >>

Three driving modes are on offer in the A3 e-tron, with a petrol only, EV only and combined ‘Hybrid’ settings on offer, although Audi has yet to tell us how big the batteries are or what the EV range will be.

The Audi a3 e-tron may turn out to be just another concept e-tron, but it would offer an (admittedly even more expensive) alternative to the plug-in Prius. Although as this is the third A3 e-tron Concept to arrive, don’t hold your breath.