38.970 euros versus 38.200 euros: Who would choose an Audi A2 e-tron over a Tesla Model Y?

There are comparisons where it’s difficult to identify a clear winner. And then there’s this one. Audi unveiled the new A2 e-tron yesterday as an attempt to regain ground in the mass market segment, offering a premium compact car similar to the ID.Polo and Cupra Raval, but with Audi’s brand prestige and a fairly high price tag. This places it in the same competitive category as the Tesla Model Y, which serves as its main rival.

The Tesla Model Y Standard RWD and the new Audi A2 e-tron start at very similar prices, but they offer quite different philosophies. The Tesla costs 38,970 euros in Germany thanks to a 2,000 euro Tesla Bonus (which is not available in Spain, where the price starts at 40,990 euros), while the Audi begins at 38,200 euros in Germany or 37,760 euros in Spain.

On paper, the Audi has an obvious advantage: it is much smaller. The A2 e-tron is about 4.32 meters long, compared to the Model Y’s nearly 4.79 meters. In other words, there’s a difference of almost half a meter, which can be decisive for those who often park in narrow streets or need a more manageable car in the city.

But that’s where the good news for the Audi ends. If we set that factor aside, the comparison becomes quite challenging for the German model. The Tesla Model Y Standard RWD offers 525 km of WLTP range, compared to 423 km for the base A2 e-tron. It’s also more powerful, with 220 kW (299 hp) versus Audi’s 125 kW (170 hp), and accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 7.2 seconds, compared to 8.8 seconds for Audi’s entry-level model.

There’s another difference that becomes even more apparent when considering daily use. The Model Y offers 835 liters of trunk space and up to 2,118 liters with the seats folded down, in addition to extra front space. The A2 e-tron has 396 liters and 1,336 liters with the rear seats folded. For a family or someone who uses the car regularly for travel, the difference is enormous.

Even when it comes to charging, Tesla has an advantage: it supports up to 175 kW of DC charging, while the A2 e-tron’s 125 kW can reach 100 kW. The Audi does have its own strengths, such as the ability to use two-way charging and its smaller size, along with a more compact and urban design.

So, if the question is which one to buy for practically the same price, the Tesla Model Y clearly seems like a better car. More space, more power, longer range, greater charging capacity, and a towing capacity of up to 1,600 kg. The Audi fails to make up for these differences with its lower price point.

There’s also an element that could make the Tesla even more attractive to some European buyers. A potential European vote on extending the authorization for FSD Supervised is scheduled for October 6, though it’s not yet a guaranteed approval, and the system remains a supervised autonomous driving feature with the driver in control. Tesla already has authorization in several European countries and has recently added Slovenia.

This reminds us of how Volkswagen is facing one of the biggest crises in its history, with announcements of factory closures and layoffs of hundreds of thousands of workers, while Tesla continues to expand its workforce at its Berlin plant. Looking at this comparison, we wonder why that is.