According to the foreign media "Autocar" magazine, Audi global CEO Autonavi (Gernot Döllner) said in an interview that Audi has reversed the decision to stop producing internal combustion engines in 2033 and will continue to produce gasoline vehicles until around 2035, or even longer. In addition, Autonavi (Gernot Döllner) also revealed that the A1 and Q2 will be eliminated and there will be no successor models, ensuring Audi's luxury positioning. In the future, the A3 and Q3 will become entry-level models, the A8 will be the flagship of the sedan series, and the Q7, Q8 and the rumored Q9 will be the top models of the SUV series. At the same time, Audi will also develop new electric vehicles, including the pure electric A3, which will be unveiled next year.

In 2021, Audi announced that it would stop developing new fuel vehicles and would not launch new fuel vehicles after 2026. According to the news announced at that time, Audi will only launch new models with pure electric power in the global market in 2026, and stop producing new gasoline, diesel and hybrid vehicles, but new models launched before 2026 will continue to be produced and sold. By 2033, Audi will accelerate the transition to electrification, phase out the production of internal combustion engines, and achieve zero emissions by 2050 at the latest.

 

However, the CEO of Audi at the time was Markus Duesmann. Markus Duesmann officially became Chairperson and CEO of Audi on April 1, 2020. During his tenure, he led Audi's electric transformation strategy and promoted the company to respond to industry changes through measures such as layoffs. On June 29, 2023, Autonavi (Gernot Döllner) took over his position, effective September 1 of the same year.

 

In 2026, it is a big year for Audi products. A variety of replacement fuel vehicles will be launched, including the new Audi A5, the new Audi A6, the new Q7 and the new Q3. The Audi A5 is the replacement model of the Audi A4, including the Sportback coupe and the Avant wagon. The size of the new Audi A5 is further increased, and the power is equipped with a 2.0T engine and a 3.0T V6 engine. The latter will be carried on the performance version of the S5. The new Audi A6 will not be renamed A7, including the Avant wagon and sedan. It is based on the new fuel vehicle platform PPC, and has been upgraded in terms of exterior interior design and technology configuration. It is expected to be launched in 2026. The new Audi Q3 was officially launched on June 17. It is based on the MQB Evo platform and is the third generation of Audi Q3. The appearance adopts the latest family-style design style. The interior is a new dual-screen layout. In addition to providing gasoline/diesel engines, the power system also adds a plug-in hybrid system.

 

On February 28 this year, Audi's Brussels factory in Belgium officially announced the closure, and about 3,000 workers are expected to lose their jobs. Previously, foreign media reported that by 2029, Audi will cut up to 7,500 jobs in German administration and development. It is understood that Audi's layoffs plan is related to the Volkswagen Group's 1 billion euro cost reduction plan. Including the layoffs plan, the Volkswagen Group plans to lay off nearly 48,000 people, including Volkswagen 35,000, Porsche 3,900 people, and the software division Cariad about 1,600 people.