Audi to release only battery-electric models from 2026

From 2026 onwards, Audi no longer plans to launch any new models with combustion engines – not even hybrid vehicles. From then on, the German carmaker based in Ingolstadt will only be bringing purely electric new vehicles to market.

This development reported by the German newspaper, Süddeutsche Zeitung was confirmed to The Spiegel. This means that Audi’s A3 and A4 will no longer have successors but will be completely redesigned and renamed. Here it should be noted, however, that while Audi does not intend to bring out any new models with combustion engines after 2026 including hybrid vehicles, sales, on the other hand, will not end until the early thirties.

Audi boss Markus Duesmann apparently already forged this plan at his inauguration a year ago. In March of this year, Duesmann then announced to the Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung that he no longer wanted to develop new combustion engines. In the interview, the Audi boss justified the decision with the EU plans for a stricter Euro 7 emissions standard. However, at the time, Duesmann gave no indication as to when Audi would sell the last new car with an internal combustion engine.

Now it is clear when the last combustion engine model will be launched: The last premiere of a combustion engine model is to take place in 2026. This is to be a Q model – the designation given to the brand’s SUVs and off-road vehicles. According to the media reports, Audi wants to sell this until the early thirties.

spiegel.de (in German)