No more combustion engine models by Audi, electric-only from 2026

Audi is reportedly ceasing development for new internal combustion engine models and will focus on electric drivetrains only. Automotive News Europe reports that after 2026, Audi will only develop battery-powered models.

This came as an announcement by Audi CEO Markus Duesmann at a management meeting last week at the automaker's headquarters in Ingolstadt, Germany.

Despite ending the development of new combustion engine models, new models that are launched by 2026 will continue to be made and sold until the end of the production life cycle, which is expected to be in the early 2030s. From then on, Audi will be solely an electric car maker.

The report also added that models such as the Audi A3 and A4 will be replaced by battery-powered A3 e-tron and A4 e-tron.

Earlier this year, Volvo has also announced its plans to go fully electric. The plan will phase out both internal combustion engine (ICE) cars and hybrid cars by 2030.

With these plans, it appears car manufacturers are responding to the EU’s ever-more stringent climate requirements, which stipulates that carmakers have to reduce their emissions by 60 percent come 2030.

Also read: Volvo Cars to go fully electric by 2030, says no future for petrol engine cars