Best-selling car brand AXES plans to turn all EV as it ditches 2033 deadline & vows to keep making petrol motors
A MAJOR car brand has axed its plans to become all electric by 2033, with a deadline no longer in sight to move away from petrol motors.
Previous plans for the company were to end development of internal combustion engines next year, with £23.9 billion worth of investment.
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There is now no fixed plan for German car manufacturer, Audi, that initially hinted at launching no new ICE cars from 2026.
CEO Gernot Döllner told Autocar he was not involved in communicating the end date, and that decisions were taken by previous management.
Speaking about the decision to revoke the deadline, Döllner suggested his belief in "flexibility" was behind it.
This includes flexibility around Audi's high performance RS models, with potential for them to become gas-powered.
" Audi is launching from 2024-2026 a completely new line-up of internal combustion engine and plug-in hybrid vehicles, and that gives us complete flexibility for at least another seven, eight, maybe 10 years, and then we will see how our markets develop.
"We have already decided to extend the production beyond the communicated end dates of the past."
The manufacturer is expected to see a greater focus on developing hybrid technology, which they see as a bridge to EVs.
New short-term plans therefore include a new lineup of gas-powered vehicles to be rolled out next year.
Döllner also confirmed development of all Volkswagen Group hardware and software architectures would be lead by Audi, hoping for larger models in the future.
On top of that, the next-generation SSP platform in development would see the Group move to "software-defined" vehicles to hit the market for the first time in late 2027 or 2028.
Audi launches NEW superfast charging hybrid with eye-watering price
Audi will still direct R&D money towards it's all-electric vehicle strategy.
There is an all-electric A3-sized model reported to be in development for 2026.
However, complete abandonment of gas-powered Audis is not expected any time soon.
It is also unlikely Audi would create its own version of an entry-level electric car as has been done by Volkswagen, Skoda or Cupra, Döllner revealed.
The Sun have contacted Audi for comment about the change in plans.
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