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>Audi would stop introducing new fossil fuel burning cars by 2026. Additionally, their lineup will only consist of “e-” branded cars by 2028. If I read this co

>Audi would stop introducing new fossil fuel burning cars by 2026. Additionally, their lineup will only consist of “e-” branded cars by 2028. If I read this correctly, they will not introduce new product lines starting 2026, and, stop selling ICE cars entirely in 2028. Is that the correct reading? If so, it seems monumental(?) that a company like Audi would endeavor to transform their company from ICE (97% in 2020) to 100% BEV (3% in 2020) [0] over 8 years. The manufacturing supply chain and employee composition (including sub-tier suppliers) will endure a period of major change. [0] https://insideevs.com/news/465756/2020-audi-etron-electric-car-sales/ https://insideevs.com/news/465756/2020-audi-etron-electric-c...

codeulike 5y ago
Unless "e-branded" means hybrids? Hard to tell. edit: OK sounds like "e-branded" might also include things like the "Audi A3 TFSI e" which is a PHEV
- tialaramex 5y ago
  So, for example today you can buy an Audi A3 TFSI e. That's a petrol engined car, but it's a PHEV, if you plug it in to the wall in my country in about six hours (so overnight or while at the office) you've got 40 miles manufacturers range on battery. In many countries that are banning new sales of pure ICE cars over the next decade or so, PHEVs remain legal. So yes I can see these variants still existing in Audi's range in 2030, while the plain Petrol variants are now end-of-line. Meanwhile Audi has other models which are actually BEVs with a much larger range (300+ miles between charges) of course, and those would definitely continue to be refined under this policy.
cmrdporcupine 5y ago
The thing is, Audi is just one brand that is part of the VW conglomerate. Its their luxury brand, just below their Porsche brand. They could easily turn Audi into their Tesla-competing luxury brand and have it pure EV, while still having VW (and Skoda in Europe) pump out ICE vehicles like crazy, and impact nothing in terms of overall CO2 emissions.
- ArkanExplorer 5y ago
  Audi will be their compliance electric cars. They will use it to build up the technology and industrial base, then shift the rest of the VW brand over to electric when there is sufficient Government pressure (regulation/taxes). There are upcoming European regulations that limit the CO2 output of cars, but on a fleet level. These Audi cars will go electric so that the rest of the fleet can formally stay not-electric.
  - codeulike 5y ago
    VW are going electric pretty aggressively too
  - wumpus 5y ago
    Those "upcoming" fleet regulations started last year.
akmarinov 5y ago
Well the world in 2000 compared to 2010 was vastly different, I'd say, so there's precedent for such a big conversion. Can't really think of 2010 to 2020 being that transformative. But yeah, it'll require a huge investment in charging infrastructure and the resources to generate the energy for those. From a Southeastern Europe perspective - the charging infrastructure just doesn't exist here - I don't know how much that region is worth for Audi, but they probably don't want to lose all of that - same for a lot of regions around the world.

codeulike 5y ago

Unless "e-branded" means hybrids? Hard to tell. edit: OK sounds like "e-branded" might also include things like the "Audi A3 TFSI e" which is a PHEV

tialaramex 5y ago
So, for example today you can buy an Audi A3 TFSI e. That's a petrol engined car, but it's a PHEV, if you plug it in to the wall in my country in about six hours (so overnight or while at the office) you've got 40 miles manufacturers range on battery. In many countries that are banning new sales of pure ICE cars over the next decade or so, PHEVs remain legal. So yes I can see these variants still existing in Audi's range in 2030, while the plain Petrol variants are now end-of-line. Meanwhile Audi has other models which are actually BEVs with a much larger range (300+ miles between charges) of course, and those would definitely continue to be refined under this policy.

cmrdporcupine 5y ago

The thing is, Audi is just one brand that is part of the VW conglomerate. Its their luxury brand, just below their Porsche brand. They could easily turn Audi into their Tesla-competing luxury brand and have it pure EV, while still having VW (and Skoda in Europe) pump out ICE vehicles like crazy, and impact nothing in terms of overall CO2 emissions.

ArkanExplorer 5y ago
Audi will be their compliance electric cars. They will use it to build up the technology and industrial base, then shift the rest of the VW brand over to electric when there is sufficient Government pressure (regulation/taxes). There are upcoming European regulations that limit the CO2 output of cars, but on a fleet level. These Audi cars will go electric so that the rest of the fleet can formally stay not-electric.
- codeulike 5y ago
  VW are going electric pretty aggressively too
- wumpus 5y ago
  Those "upcoming" fleet regulations started last year.

akmarinov 5y ago

Well the world in 2000 compared to 2010 was vastly different, I'd say, so there's precedent for such a big conversion. Can't really think of 2010 to 2020 being that transformative. But yeah, it'll require a huge investment in charging infrastructure and the resources to generate the energy for those. From a Southeastern Europe perspective - the charging infrastructure just doesn't exist here - I don't know how much that region is worth for Audi, but they probably don't want to lose all of that - same for a lot of regions around the world.