News Roundup: Sept 14, 2026
Check out the video: https://youtu.be/Wt8XqwZuevk
New A2 with an Electric Twist
The Audi A2 e-tron revives the original lightweight, ultra-efficient hatchback as Audi’s smallest and most affordable electric vehicle, pairing familiar A2 proportions with modern touches such as a singleframe grille, up-to-20-inch wheels, customizable matrix LED lighting, and wing-style door handles. Built on the rear-wheel-drive MEB platform, it offers three battery sizes and four power outputs, with performance as quick as 5.8 seconds from 0–100 km/h, up to 401 miles of WLTP range, charging speeds as high as 183 kW, and available vehicle-to-load and vehicle-to-home capability. Inside, a conventional twin-screen layout, useful physical controls, generous storage, magnetic charging and accessory systems, and extensive use of recycled materials make it a practical, polished entry-level luxury EV—although it is not planned for the U.S. market.
AutoPerspectives is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
WHY IT MATTERS: With the A1 and Q2 out of production, this becomes Audi’s smallest entry, and their most affordable EV. It’s an opportunity to develop a higher-margin entry off MEB, and offers something that BMW and Mercedes currently don’t have in their showrooms.
THE BOTTOM LINE: Stylish and capable and still Audi-esque, it’s an appealing choice for those looking for a small but upscale EV.
Dacia’s Spring Awakening
The new Dacia Spring replaces the China-built original with a European-made EV derived from the Renault Twingo E-Tech, delivering a more conventional, roomier, and better-proportioned design with clever low-cost lighting, textured trim, available 16-inch wheels, and the segment’s only front trunk. Its single powertrain combines a 27.5-kWh battery with a 60-kW motor for 250 km of WLTP range—roughly 130 EPA-equivalent miles—along with improved 22-kW AC and 50-kW DC charging and vehicle-to-load capability. A brighter cabin, flexible storage, and YouClip accessory mounts make it more practical and livable than before, though an expected 50 percent price increase means it will surrender its title as Europe’s cheapest EV while remaining a strong value in an increasingly competitive small-EV market.
WHY IT MATTERS: Moving Spring production to Europe avoids tariffs, and leveraging the RGEV Small platform allows the Spring to be more refined and capable, especially with vehicles like the Citroen 2CV and Kia EV1 due in the next couple of years.
THE BOTTOM LINE: Attractive, well-proportioned, and competitively equipped, right in line with Dacia values.
The Ultimate CLE
The Mercedes CLE 646, officially called Spezialanfertigung, is the second model from the ultra-exclusive Mythos series and a coachbuilt, track-focused reinterpretation of the AMG CLE 53. It replaces the turbocharged inline-six and all-wheel drive with a 637-hp flat-plane-crank V8, titanium exhaust, nine-speed automatic transmission, rear-wheel drive, and an electronically controlled limited-slip differential, supported by upgraded cooling, adjustable coilovers, carbon-ceramic brakes, wider tracks, and a lower stance. Carbon-fiber bodywork, polycarbonate windows, a roll cage, racing seats, and the removal of the rear seat, sound insulation, and selected convenience systems reduce weight despite the larger engine, while a widebody kit and huge rear wing reinforce its purpose; all 30 examples are already sold despite pricing not yet being announced.
WHY IT MATTERS: Ferrari and Bentley point to their bespoke business as key revenue generators, and so Mercedes hopes Mythos will help generate the same kind of business for them.
THE BOTTOM LINE: Like the Mustang GTD, the CLE 646 isn’t quite as unique as one might expect at that price point, but it remains an impressive set of hardware.
Mexico’s Cheap EV Truck
The Olinia Carga is a compact Mexican electric pickup designed to be smaller and more affordable than alternatives such as the Slate or REO while offering greater capability than the country’s three-wheeled commercial vehicles. Derived from the six-passenger Olinia Uno taxi, it provides a 1,430-pound payload, about 75 miles of range, and operating costs estimated at one-quarter those of a comparable gasoline truck, although charging is limited to a household AC outlet with no DC fast-charging. Backed by the Mexican government and potentially open to private investment, the program plans to select a manufacturing partner by year-end, target 10,000 units in its first year, and begin sales late next year, with a reported 8,000 orders already in hand—though local battery production remains unresolved.
WHY IT MATTERS: China’s government already plays a significant role in their auto industry, so the actions of the Mexican government are not without precedent. Olinia appears to address a key segment that’s not being served, and so could also provide an economic boost to the country.
THE BOTTOM LINE: Plain and simple, but gets the job done.
AutoPerspectives is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
Comments