Audi Details Upgraded APP350 Drive for A2 e-tron
The updated Volkswagen Group drive uses silicon carbide inverter electronics and revised motor design to reduce losses and noise.
Updated on Nov. 3, 2026 in Electric Vehicles
Audi has detailed the upgraded APP350 drive in the new Audi A2 e-tron, which is rated at 12.8 kWh per 100 km in its 140 kW form with an optional package. The changes reduce losses in the inverter, motor, and transmission.
Why it matters
The A2 e-tron is Audi's lowest-consuming model, and the APP350 is a Volkswagen Group unit, so the efficiency gains reflect engineering shared across the group's electric lineup. Lower conversion and drivetrain losses translate directly into more usable range from the same battery.
The rear permanent-magnet synchronous motor runs at 400V and delivers up to 350 Nm, while the inverter keeps conversion losses below 3% using silicon carbide transistors. Gear ratios are 10.21:1 for the 125 kW and 140 kW versions and 11.53:1 for the 170 kW version.
The players
Audi
Audi is a German luxury automaker and member of the Volkswagen Group, known for its premium electric and combustion vehicles.
Volkswagen Group
The Volkswagen Group is a German multinational automotive conglomerate that owns brands including Volkswagen, Audi, Porsche, and Škoda, and co-develops drive units across its brands.
The details
Audi's engineers replaced conventional silicon transistors in the inverter with silicon carbide units and reduced rotor lamination thickness by more than 30% compared with the APP310. The stator was rewired from star to delta with fewer parallel branches, staggered rotor segments were added to suppress tonal noise when pulling away, and an inverter-driven high-frequency harmonic cancels cabin noise. New software lowers switching frequency at medium speeds and loads, and finely machined gear teeth allow a thinner, lower-friction oil that reduces churning.
Timeline
• November 3, 2026: Audi detailed the APP350 drive in the A2 e-tron.
Roadmap
Silicon carbide power electronics have become a central efficiency lever in electric vehicle inverters as automakers seek to cut conversion losses. Audi's use of the technology in the APP350 places the A2 e-tron within the group's broader push to extend range from existing battery capacity.
Lower inverter and drivetrain losses can translate into more usable range from the same battery for drivers of the A2 e-tron. The 12.8 kWh per 100 km rating gives a concrete baseline for estimating running costs in the 140 kW form.
The takeaway
Efficiency gains from components like silicon carbide inverters and thinner rotor laminations accumulate across a drive unit and show up as range and running cost. Buyers comparing electric models should look at published consumption figures alongside battery capacity.
Further reading
For more on how drive unit engineering is evolving, explore the Electric Vehicles section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Automotive World.
