Audi Gives Up On Combustion Engine Development — This Is Awesome
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Audi is abandoning its development of combustion engines, Electrive reported. The article cited an interview that Audi’s CEO, Markus Duesmann held with Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (FAZ), where he confirmed that Audi is no longer developing internal combustion engines. This is great news!
In the interview, Duesmann said, “We will no longer develop a new combustion engine, but will adapt our existing combustion engines to new emission guidelines.” He also spoke about the Euro 7 standard, noting that the planned changes are “technically a huge challenge with at the same time little benefit for the environment.” Duesmann added, “This places extreme restrictions on the internal combustion engine.”
The article pointed out that a date as to when Audi would sell its last new car with an internal combustion engine wasn’t specified. Duesmann spoke of regions of the world where energy supply and charging infrastructure were less developed and cited this as the reason why Audi will continue to sell ICE vehicles for many years to come. So, Audi plans to keep selling ICE vehicles in less developed regions but stop developing a new ICE.
I think that Audi actually has an opportunity here but is squandering it. If these poorly developed countries have no charging infrastructure, then Audi could develop EVs and the infrastructure and create a market for itself in these countries. But that’s just my 2.5 cents on the matter.
Duesmann was asked if Audi would present its newest EV, the Q4 e-tron, this fall at the IAA in Munich. Duesmann’s answer wasn’t a yes or a not but a wish. “I wish there was one in the format we have planned,” he said, adding that, “the pandemic is progressing so unpredictably that my confidence is honestly limited at the moment.”
The Q4 e-tron, Duesmann described, will be “affordable for many people and the entry into e-mobility at Audi.” He also added, “It will sell well and ensure significant unit sales.” The EV will be built at Volkswagen’s Zwickau manufacturing facility. The Audi CEO also confirmed that the Q4 e-tron would be launched onto the market at the end of 2024. At Audi’s Power Day event, Duesmann pointed out that it would be the first in the group to use Audi’s/Volkswagen Group’s new cell-to-pack technology.
Related story: 7 Big Electric Vehicle Announcements From Volkswagen Today
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