We consider pion electroproduction close to threshold for Q 2 in the region 1 − 10 GeV 2 on a nucleon target. The momentum transfer dependence of the S-wave multipoles at threshold, E0+ and L0+, is calculated in the chiral limit using light-cone sum rules. Predictions for the cross sections in the threshold region are given taking into account P-wave contributions that, as we argue, are model independent to a large extent. The results are compared with the SLAC E136 data on the structure function F2(W, Q 2 ) in the threshold region.