Audi is going to replace its Audi TT coupe with an all-electric model as the company continues to up its electric plans. Its A8 sedan may go electric, as well.
Audi revealed its plans at its annual shareholders meeting, Bloomberg reports. The carmaker may also consider ending the run of its R8 sports car. The company discussed a need for greater “focus” moving forward, which means some models may be left in the past. As a transcript of the meeting reveals, Audi CEO Bram Schot said,
“In a few years, we will replace the TT with a new emotive model in the same price range: with an electric car. As I said, focusing also means leaving out. For example, the R8 sports car. Do we need a successor with a combustion engine? Does this fit in with our vision? The discussion will give us an answer to that.”
Schot also said Audi is increasing its sales expectations for electric cars and PHEVs to 40 percent of all deliveries, and the carmaker wants to sell “about one million electrified cars each year by the middle of the next decade.”
And in a separate interview with Germany’s Manager Magazin (English translation) released today, Schot said every second Audi sold in 2025 should be an electric car.
Audi plans to launch five fully-electric and seven plug-in hybrid models within the next two years. By 2025, it plans to release more than 30 electrified cars, with 20 of them all-electric models. Schot said,
“The next generation of the Audi A8 might well be all-electric. That has not been decided yet, but I can well imagine it. We are thinking about revolutionizing the top-end class with a completely new concept for the A8.”
And from Bloomberg:
“We’re shedding old baggage,” Chief Financial Officer Alexander Seitz said. Because of tighter emissions regulations, “combustion cars are getting more expensive in the medium-term, and electric cars are getting cheaper.”
Electrek’s Take
Audi is following the lead of its parent, Volkswagen, as it pushes to be at the forefront of EVs when it comes to legacy automakers. Based on today’s comments, Audi seems genuinely excited by the possibilities of going electric.
However, targets are just that — targets. And one or two models going electric is a far cry from the 20 to 30 envisioned. Audi still gets most of its business from ICE cars, and will do so for the foreseeable future. So we hope to see Audi follow through on the shift toward electric in the very near future, and to put more of its money where its mouth is.
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