Subsequent Monday, June 23, will mark three years since Audi pledged to launch its ultimate gas-powered automobiles in 2025 and transition to promoting solely EVs beginning in 2026. On the time, the Volkswagen Group’s luxurious model additionally vowed to finish manufacturing of combustion engine autos by 2033. Whereas it left the door open for ICE to proceed in China past that date relying on demand, Audi was anticipated to turn out to be an electric-only model in all different areas. That’s now not the case.

CEO Gernot Döllner informed Autocar journal that Audi is more likely to proceed producing gas-powered automobiles till round 2035 and presumably past. He defined {that a} sturdy product rollout by means of 2026 will give the model the flexibleness to proceed promoting ICE autos for no less than “one other seven, eight, possibly 10 years.” He didn’t rule out extending manufacturing previous the center of the following decade, although he emphasised it could depend upon buyer demand:

“Then we are going to see how our markets develop. We have now already determined to increase the manufacturing past the communicated finish dates of the previous.”

The earlier announcement was made beneath the then-CEO Markus Duesmann. Gernot Döllner took over in September 2023. Whereas Audi was compelled to discontinue the Q8 E-Tron and shut a manufacturing facility because of poor gross sales, its different EVs are gaining traction. Within the first quarter of the yr, Audi delivered 30.1% extra absolutely electrical autos in comparison with the identical interval in 2024.

EV demand rose to 46,371 items, although BMW practically doubled that with 86,449 electrical automobiles bought in the identical interval. Nonetheless, Audi outpaced Mercedes, which delivered simply 40,706 EVs. A brand new entry-level electrical mannequin, anticipated subsequent yr within the A3 phase, ought to assist improve EV adoption due to its lower cost in comparison with the This autumn E-Tron.

However combustion engines aren’t going away anytime quickly. New fashions such because the A5, A6, and the Q3, unveiled simply yesterday, are more likely to stay in the marketplace effectively into the 2030s. Many of the newcomers can even get sizzling derivatives with the S and RS badges. It’s nonetheless unclear what Audi will do if the European Union upholds its plan to ban new combustion-engine automobile gross sales beginning in 2035. The corporate might section out ICE fashions solely or proceed producing them for markets not topic to the EU’s draconian laws.

Picture by: Chris Rosales / Motor1

All European automakers might want to confront this problem, and so they seemingly received’t wait till the mid-2030s to decide. Strategic selections like this require lengthy lead instances because of their far-reaching implications. Mercedes, which as soon as thought of going EV-only in sure European markets as early as 2030, has additionally walked again that purpose and plans to proceed providing ICE autos effectively into the following decade.

Among the many three main German luxurious manufacturers, solely BMW has by no means dedicated to a phase-out date for combustion engines. The corporate has persistently emphasised client selection and pointed to the still-lagging charging infrastructure. Audi and Mercedes are full steam forward with electrification, however now acknowledge that the transition will take longer than initially anticipated, and are adjusting their methods accordingly.