Audi Could Stop Introducing New ICE Vehicles In 2026

[cawimmer430]

RIP, Audi. It was nice knowing you. How do you say suicide in German? 



Audi Could Stop Introducing New ICE Vehicles In 2026

Audi has introduced an assortment of electric vehicles in the past few months – including the e-tron GT, Q4 e-tron and Q4 Sportback e-tron – and it appears the company will be going EV-only in the near future.

Citing comments by Audi CEO Markus Duesmann, Germany's Sueddeutsche Zeitung is reporting the automaker will stop introducing new vehicles with petrol and diesel engines in 2026.

Internal combustion engines will apparently stick around after that date, presumably in existing models, but they would eventually be phased out. There's no word on when specifically, but the publication says a "few years later [after 2026] there will only be electric cars."

The phase out of internal combustion engines will reportedly coincide with the elimination of hybrid powertrains. Citing the publication, Reuters reported "there would also no longer be any hybrid models" from 2026.

That remains unconfirmed, but a number of automakers are moving away from plug-in hybrids and fully embracing electric vehicles. However, some companies are committed to plug-in hybrids as they see them as a 'bridge to the future' as they believe consumers might not be ready to go fully electric quite yet.

We've reached out to Audi for comment, but it's worth noting the company has released a flurry of eco-friendly communications today. They focused on everything from expanding the use of renewable energy at charging stations in Europe to using artificial intelligence to maximize sustainability in their supply chain.


Link: https://www.carscoops.com/2021/06/audi-could-stop-introducing-new-ice-vehicles-in-2026/

[12,000 RPM]

Good

Hoping VW follows suit. The ID Space Vision looks cool

[Submariner]

The death of the ICE is sad.  I know it is inevitable, and in some ways it's good (not going to miss loud commercial diesel trucks, or fart-can 4-bangers) but so much of what makes cars interesting and engaging is the mechanical aspect to them.  First goes the manual gearbox, then the engine all together.

My friend has a model 3.  Great car for sure, and yes it is fast, but it's sterile and cold.  I respect it immensely but I don't love it.  It's hard to explain.

[FoMoJo]

Lots of classics available for those who truly appreciate the era of I/C engines without all the nanny gadgets.  Many are even affordable.  As well, as long as there are I/C enthusiasts, there will always be specialty shops that can supply parts and service if/when necessary.  Fuel might be a little pricy down the road.

[12,000 RPM]

The death of the ICE is sad.  I know it is inevitable, and in some ways it's good (not going to miss loud commercial diesel trucks, or fart-can 4-bangers) but so much of what makes cars interesting and engaging is the mechanical aspect to them.  First goes the manual gearbox, then the engine all together.

My friend has a model 3.  Great car for sure, and yes it is fast, but it's sterile and cold.  I respect it immensely but I don't love it.  It's hard to explain.

This is why I like being a driving enthusiast rather than a car enthusiast. As long as the car behaves and responds in an enjoyable way I'm good with it. This is why for example I enjoy driving my wife's Sienna more than I enjoyed my Optima. Yea the Kia was faster.... but the chassis was shit. The Sienna is honestly better sorted. It's fun in the way only a Toyota minivan could be.

So when the EVs come I'll be fine. Cars are just a means to an end to me. It's very likely my next car will be electric

[Submariner]

Sure, I get that, but part of the driving pleasure is the analog nature of the vehicle.  The model 3 feels like I'm playing Forza.  It's technically impressive but it isn't...engaging?  I don't feel like I'm part of the car.

[Raza]

The death of the ICE is sad.  I know it is inevitable, and in some ways it's good (not going to miss loud commercial diesel trucks, or fart-can 4-bangers) but so much of what makes cars interesting and engaging is the mechanical aspect to them.  First goes the manual gearbox, then the engine all together.

My friend has a model 3.  Great car for sure, and yes it is fast, but it's sterile and cold.  I respect it immensely but I don't love it.  It's hard to explain.

The death of the ICE is the death of the car.  EVs are something else.  Fine, it's what's going to happen, but I'm going to hold out as long as I can.

[veeman]

The death of ICE cars is a long way away.  3/4 of the population of the world, probably, lives in areas where EV as the dominant mode of personal transportation for those who can afford cars is not going to be available for several decades if that.  All of Central and South America, All of Africa, and most countries in Asia outside of China, South Korea, and Japan.  The infrastructure and electric grid are not robust enough to support it. 

The U.S. is a very hard place to change attitudes and people don't take kindly to being told by the govt what to do.  The individual states also have a lot of power to draw their own energy plans.  Power supply and the forces that determine it in Texas is vastly different than California.  Any private company can make any proclamation they want.  They can always, in the words of Darth Vader, "alter the deal". 

I remember at a wedding several years ago I was talking with a few cousins of mine who worked for techy start ups in California and one worked for Google.  They were all about a decade younger than me.  They were all telling me straight faced how cars would be mostly self driving in 20 years.  I laughed at them and told them they were young and naive.  One of my brother in laws is a CFO of a small company heavily invested in climate friendly sources of energy.  He tells me in 10 years more than half of new car sales in the U.S. will be electric.  I laugh at him as well.  Look at EV as a percentage of market share in all 50 states.  It is really really low in the majority of states.  These are very big ships to steer and it will take a good long while before gasoline becomes scarce or prohibitively expensive.  Not for 30 plus years I think.  Probably more like 50 years. 

[veeman]

Also this is not analagous to the replacement of the horse and buggy with the ICE.  ICE is better as a mode of transportation in so many ways compared to the horse and buggy on paved roads.  EV is not better than ICE in nearly as many ways. It's cleaner, a bit cheaper to operate and service, and quicker off the line.  The cost of entry is significantly higher, it's a pain in the ass to drive long distances in, and it's fueling is significantly more cumbersome and time consuming.  You can't just fuel anywhere at any time.  There's planning involved particularly when on vacation. 

[cawimmer430]

All this talk of EVs is basically just limited to a few countries, mainly the United States, Canada, parts of Western Europe, Japan, South Korea and China.

THE REST OF THE WORLD WILL CONTINUE TO DRIVE CARS WITH INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES USING CHEAP AND READILY AVAILABLE OIL AND POWERING THEIR NATIONS WITH FOSSIL FUELS LIKE COAL AND GAS.

In regards to cars, ^this fact^ alone is one argument to invest in the efficient production of synthetic fuels.


I get that eventually EVs or Fuel Cell or something else will come along and replace the trustworthy ICE, but in my opinion EVs are just not ready for the majority of car owners.

They don't suit my speedy driving style on the highway in which their battery would be drained in no time and I would have to spend 45 minutes to an hour+ waiting for the damn thing to be charged to some reasonably high range figure - which again will be depleted in no time...

Also, I recently read a complaint from an EV driver in Germany who stated that the waiting lines at public EV chargers are by now a real thing. The construction of the EV infrastructure is slow here.

I'll still to the ICE for as long as possible, even if the Greenies have their way and rape us with 5 Euro per liter fuel prices.

[12,000 RPM]

Simple math also indicates the ICE will be around for a while and as usual the histrionics over its death and the death of all driving enjoyment are overblown.

There's 300M+ cars on the road in the US. If someone could flick a switch and make all ~15-17M new cars sold per year EVs you're still talking 15-20 years before all ICEs are gone. And realistically + obviously we are nowhere near that, and to be frank I'm not sure we ever will be.

First it was save the manuals, now this. Increasingly, being a car enthusiast seems to be about having a persecution complex.

[cawimmer430]

Being a car enthusiast - even for EVs - is going to be tough. Because the ultimate goal of the global elites is to basically eradicate individual mobility.

Klaus Schwab of the World Economic Forum and his GREAT RESET openly propagates so-called SMART CITIES in which you don't own a car and your mobility is limited to public transportation, cycling, walking or so-called autonomous taxis.

https://www.weforum.org/projects/future-of-cities

[12,000 RPM]

Oh the horror. *shrugs and keeps kart & sim racing*

Also, it's a little weird for a dude who grew up with lots of Benzes to be complaining about the "elites". Let's keep the car subforums focused on cars.... there's plenty of other places to whine about politics

[Submariner]

Simple math also indicates the ICE will be around for a while and as usual the histrionics over its death and the death of all driving enjoyment are overblown.

There's 300M+ cars on the road in the US. If someone could flick a switch and make all ~15-17M new cars sold per year EVs you're still talking 15-20 years before all ICEs are gone. And realistically + obviously we are nowhere near that, and to be frank I'm not sure we ever will be.

First it was save the manuals, now this. Increasingly, being a car enthusiast seems to be about having a persecution complex.

It's not about feeling persecuted.  I have reasons why I lament the eventual loss of the ICE though I'd never color it as "persecution", but I would characterize it as "emotion".

[cawimmer430]

Oh the horror. *shrugs and keeps kart & sim racing*

Also, it's a little weird for a dude who grew up with lots of Benzes to be complaining about the "elites". Let's keep the car subforums focused on cars.... there's plenty of other places to whine about politics

The goal of the Great Reset is to radically change our way of life into a type of eco[terror] socialism / communism. That weirdo Klaus Schwab makes it perfectly clear in his book on how he envisions the future. We are not supposed to own anything and still be happy. Look it up, it's one of his most cited phrases from his book.

Klaus Schwab, another German screwing the world after Hitler and Merkel...

[Galaxy]

A Mercedes EQS, or Tesla S Plaid is eco terrorism/socialism? Can you try to remain at least somewhat logical, and rational.

[12,000 RPM]

Wimmer can you please stop torturing us with your political rants.......... I dont want to put you on ignore

[Soup DeVille]

Lots of classics available for those who truly appreciate the era of I/C engines without all the nanny gadgets.  Many are even affordable.  As well, as long as there are I/C enthusiasts, there will always be specialty shops that can supply parts and service if/when necessary.  Fuel might be a little pricy down the road.

I can tell you haven't looked at classic car prices lately. Its stupid-  An AMC Matador; one of the least desirable vehicles ever, just went for over $20,000.

[GoCougs]

I can tell you haven't looked at classic car prices lately. Its stupid-  An AMC Matador; one of the least desirable vehicles ever, just went for over $20,000.

Was it a Matador 2-door w/401 V8 and maybe even a 4sp M/T? If low miles/great shape, $20k+ seems reasonable.

[FoMoJo]

I can tell you haven't looked at classic car prices lately. Its stupid-  An AMC Matador; one of the least desirable vehicles ever, just went for over $20,000.

Granted, the prices are continuously rising, but there are still some affordable classics for the enthusiast who wants a project.

Example...1966 Ford Thunderbird all original, 390 engine, new tires, all power windows, new vinyl top, car runs great, $$11,250

1966 FORD THUNDERBIRD



Many others.

[cawimmer430]

Wimmer can you please stop torturing us with your political rants.......... I dont want to put you on ignore

Okie dokie!

[Soup DeVille]

Was it a Matador 2-door w/401 V8 and maybe even a 4sp M/T? If low miles/great shape, $20k+ seems reasonable.

automatic- in good shape, sure. But a Matador anyways.

[JWC]

Hate to break it to you ICE guys, but this is the future of classic cars.

https://www.electricclassiccars.co.uk/

I got back into VWs, aircooled VWs, because of the ease of converting them to electric. It was predicted in the early 90s that classic cars running fossil fuels would be off the roads by 2000. It never happened, but I enjoyed the VWs regardless.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MMaG-1KmoDw&t=25s

[12,000 RPM]

Something something no driving enjoyment or "soul" something something

[r0tor]

I've been on a track in a Taycan Turbo.  To me the driving experience was fantastic.  The chassis was Porsche good.  The throttle is perfectly linear.  The lack of exhaust let's you hear exactly what all 4 tires are doing.  It's a driving instructors dream for teaching driving dynamics.

[Submariner]

Something something no driving enjoyment or "soul" something something

You really don't see the difference between an electric motor and a high revving flat 6 + six speed?

[12,000 RPM]

You really don't see the difference between an electric motor and a high revving flat 6 + six speed?

I do, I just don't think it's meaningful in any practical way. Nobody on CarSPIN has said powerplant. Raza did for a while and he got rid of it. So what tangibly changes for anyone here, or the vast majority of car guys who don't have F6 + 6s in their cars, if that powerplant ceases to exist? You can still love the idea/dream of them.

A way more relevant comparison is between electric motors and turbo 4 bangers. Between those two, give me the EV 8 days a week.

And FWIW the last car I test drove was a 996 6MT (ah I'm lying.... it was a Q50. The 996 was right before that). It had its pluses and minuses and did everything it was supposed to do, but overall I didn't like it. Car guys get way too entangled and invested in dogma and preconceptions rather than approaching things with an open mind and no expectations. It's detrimental to our enjoyment of cars- especially in the context of the impending shift in the landscape.

[cawimmer430]

Car guys get way too entangled and invested in dogma and preconceptions rather than approaching things with an open mind and no expectations.

A healthy dosage of skepticism never hurt anyone.

Eventually the ICE will mostly disappear in the hysterical virtue-signaling Western World. EVs are in my opinion still not ready for the mass market given current battery technology and the lack of and incredibly slow expansion of their necessary infrastructure.

[JWC]

I have to admit that a lot of the VW Beetle love is exemplified by the first part of that video I posted when the Beetle is driven into the garage. Nothing sounds like an air-cooled Beetle. It really adds to the experience of driving one.  This is really true when the Beetle has the factory twin pipes and makes that "whistling" noise showing it is tuned correctly.

[CaminoRacer]

I have to admit that a lot of the VW Beetle love is exemplified by the first part of that video I posted when the Beetle is driven into the garage. Nothing sounds like an air-cooled Beetle. It really adds to the experience of driving one.  This is really true when the Beetle has the factory twin pipes and makes that "whistling" noise showing it is tuned correctly.

Air cooler is cool for a little while, but too finnicky for a daily driver IMO. I'd love to convert an early Super to electric. Add AC and a heater and it'd be a much better commuter.