The automotive industry is rapidly entering the electrification era, and for car manufacturers it’s no longer a question of whether to go all-in on electric cars, but rather one of how quickly to do so.
Some, such as Volvo, Mini and Jaguar, have vowed to go all-electric by the end of this decade, while others like Toyota, Mazda and Peugeot are taking a more balanced approach that will allow customers to choose between internal combustion (ICE) and electric cars until demand for the former runs out. Of course, with many countries planning to ban ICE cars between 2030 and 2040, that could happen sooner rather than later.
Although Audi has yet to officially announce a date for going ‘all-electric’ that could also happen sooner than we might expect. According to a new report by German publication Sueddeutsche Zeitung, citing Audi CEO Markus Duesmann as a source, Audi won’t be introducing any new petrol and diesel engines after 2026. The premium German carmaker is still expected to offer internal combustion vehicles for a good few years after this date, but there won’t be any new engine developments on that front, not even for hybrid models.
However, Audi will certainly have a full range of electric vehicles by then – in fact the company is aiming to have 20 on the road by 2025.
The Ingolstadt based firm has already launched the e-tron and Q4 e-tron SUVs as well as the e-tron GT saloon. Together with Porsche, Audi has invested in a new modular EV platform called PPE, which will underpin the upcoming A6 e-tron that’s already been previewed in concept form, and a range of additional products. The A6 e-tron is expected to offer a range of more than 700 km and it also boasts 800-volt fast-charging technology.
