REPORT: Audi hooked on "E" as part of new green initiative

Click above for a high-res gallery of the Audi A1 Sportback concept

Every automaker is incorporating eco-friendly technologies into their production plans and Audi is no different. According to a report from CAR, the German automaker will use the "E" designation for its environmentally friendly products, apparently believing that the letter "A" isn't green enough. Included in the outlook is the E1, which is expected to be a small, all-electric city car based on the underpinnings of the Volkswagen up! concept. Next in the lineup ladder is the E2, a small sportscar featuring both gas and diesel engines with three-cylinders and 75 hp that will share a chassis with the Volkswagen Concept Bluesport from the Detroit Auto Show. An E3 is also in the works and will reportedly be based on the aluminum-intensive architecture of the upcoming 2011 A3, and this same chassis could also spawn a hybrid MPV called the E4. Lastly, an E5 is possible and would combine all of Audi's fuel-saving technologies into one sportscar platform for 2014.