The CEO of Audi said that they “managed the production of our latest combustion engine vehicles according to various developments in the world markets”
–>
- Audi abandoned plans to end ice production and go only EV in 2032.
- In fact, he will launch a new generation of ice and PHEV models alongside electric vehicles.
- The German brand is currently “rejuvenating its entire range of models”.
It becomes more and more clear that the “electric” dream of the automotive industry is a work in progress. Audi, the latest brand to rethink its approach to a purely EV future, has announced that it would continue to offer combustion engine models longer than initially expected, because the market is not entirely ready for a world of battery vehicles only.
Plus: Audi reduces thousands of jobs in Germany
During the annual Audi media conference for 2025, CEO Gernot Döllner had this: “As part of our product initiative, we are not only launching new electric models, but also a new generation of combustion engine vehicles and rechargeable hybrids.
New plans, same old combustion engines
Audi had previously declared that the new generation Q7 would be its latest combustion engine model, coinciding with the end of ice development in 2026. The plan was to keep these vehicles on the market until 2032 around 2032, how fully electric. But now Döllner has launched a key in this chronology.
Following the example of competitors like BMW, Mercedes and Volvo, Audi will delay its passage to a purely electric range. This decision makes sense, especially if we consider that Porsche still plans to produce well -ice models in the 2030s.
The PHEVs are there to stay, for the moment
During the same conference, Döllner also teased the next model launches for 2025: “We are in the process of rejuvenating our entire range of models, and at the end of the year, we will have the youngest portfolio of our market segments.”
Döllner has confirmed that the new generation of Q3 will arrive this summer after the recent launch of the new A6 form in avant-garde. He also announced that a hybrid plug-in version of the A5 would make its debut on March 25 as one of the 10 new PHEVs which will be presented this year. He described Phevs as “a central part of our portfolio while we are heading for an all -electric range”, suggesting that Audi will put more emphasis on these types of powertrain.
Plus: Audi wants to climb the luxury scale without walking on Bentley’s toes
In North America, Audi will launch 10 new models by the end of 2025 and “currently assess various scenarios for additional location” to deal with the new prices of the American administration. As for the Chinese market, it “still intensified” its product strategy with FAW and SAIC, hoping to “participate in the growth of the electric cars market” because its leaders think that they are already a “strong player in the combustion engines”.
Of course, Audi is not delusional on the challenges to come. Financial director Jürgen Rittersberger described 2025 as a “very difficult year” for the brand, citing the “geopolitical and economic situation tense” of 2024. However, he believes in the prospects of their renewed portfolio, because new models “now successively reach the markets”.
