Audi Still Has a Foot on the Gas Pedal as ICE Models Stay Beyond 2033
By Team Dailyrevs June 18, 2025
Audi will continue producing gas and hybrid vehicles beyond 2033, stepping away from its original EV-only schedule.
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New ICE-based models like the next-generation Q3 and high-performance RS6 will integrate plug-in hybrid powertrains.
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CEO Gernot Döllner outlines a market-driven, flexible strategy rather than adhering to fixed electrification deadlines.
EV Deadlines Don’t Mean Much in 2025
Ingolstadt isn’t done burning fuel. Despite earlier promises of going fully electric by 2033, Audi now says internal combustion isn’t going anywhere—at least not on a strict timeline. And this pivot isn’t just for emerging markets or limited-run models. It includes core products in Audi’s global lineup.
Back in 2021, then-CEO Markus Duesmann committed Audi to launching only EVs after 2026. That deadline hasn’t exactly held up. Under new leadership, the company is loosening its grip on EV-only goals and preparing to run gas, hybrid, and electric powertrains side by side.
“We are giving ourselves the opportunity to continue offering combustion engine cars in parallel,” said current CEO Gernot Döllner, stressing the need for market-by-market flexibility.
Q3 e-hybrid Signals a Strategic Middle Lane
The clearest sign of Audi’s evolving electrification strategy is the newly launched 2026 Q3, offered not only with conventional petrol engines but also as a plug-in hybrid. While earlier expectations leaned toward a fully electric successor, Audi opted instead to expand the Q3 lineup with a powerful e-hybrid variant. The move away from a PPE-based EV architecture in favor of a dual-path approach underscores what Audi calls its “multitrack strategy.”
It’s a pragmatic pivot. Rather than rushing into full electrification, Audi is acknowledging that many markets—and many buyers—aren’t quite there yet. Infrastructure gaps, charging concerns, and regional policy variability still shape how realistic an EV-first approach can be. The Q3 e-hybrid, with its extended electric range and fast-charging capability, bridges that gap without forcing the leap.
Audi’s F1 Playbook Isn’t Just for the Track
Audi’s 2026 Formula 1 entry isn’t just a marketing exercise—it’s shaping the company’s approach to powertrain development. The influence is already showing up in high-performance plug-in hybrids, particularly in the next RS6.
Rather than retiring the RS6’s legacy in favor of a silent EV, Audi is preserving its internal combustion appeal, likely blending it with F1-derived hybrid tech. It’s a nod to the brand’s performance heritage and a message to enthusiasts: Audi isn’t turning its back on sound, speed, or character.
When Deadlines Meet Demand Gaps
This recalibration is less about indecision and more about realism. EVs are surging in places like China and Western Europe—but adoption elsewhere is slower, and infrastructure remains patchy. Audi’s leadership seems increasingly aware that a fixed calendar can’t dictate global readiness.
What used to be a binary choice—ICE or EV—now looks more like a sliding scale. In many parts of the world, offering both is not just viable—it’s necessary. Audi’s updated direction reflects that balance.
EV Pipeline Still Alive and Kicking
To be clear, Audi isn’t putting the brakes on electric innovation. The Q6 e-tron and A6 e-tron are still rolling forward, and the PPE platform remains a cornerstone of the brand’s electrification plans. But the idea that everything flips to electric after 2026? That’s out.
Döllner has publicly stated Audi may continue ICE production for “seven, eight, maybe 10 years” beyond its initial timeline. That kind of flexibility reflects a broader industry trend—one where electrification is a process, not a finish line.
Audi’s Reality Check Is the Industry’s Too
Audi’s new stance is less about slowing down and more about widening the lane. A “multitrack” approach—combining EVs, hybrids, and ICE—isn’t a retreat from electrification; it’s a recognition of economic, regional, and cultural nuance.
Consumers get more choice. Traditionalists get one last hurrah. And Audi gets the breathing room to make sure its EV rollout isn’t rushed or regionally tone-deaf.
In a world that still loves options—and isn’t quite ready to plug in across the board—Audi’s decision to keep a foot on the gas might just be its most grounded move yet.
