Originally, the goal was set, but the market demand did not develop as expected. As a result, Audi has to adjust its electrification strategy.
Recently, Audi CEO Gernault Dorner said that the Audi brand will also offer more plug-in hybrid models in the future. He has pointed out that plug-in hybrids are more important than initially anticipated, and that internal combustion engines and plug-in hybrids will continue to be promoted in the short term.
According to the latest reports, Audi is intensively developing a series of new plug-in hybrid models with a range of up to 62 miles (about 100 kilometers), aiming to meet the actual needs of more consumers by increasing the pure electric range. This move is not only a direct response to current market demand, but also a key step for Audi to remain competitive during the transition to electric vehicles.
According to the Audi Group's "Vorsprung 2030" strategic plan announced in 2021, from 2026 onwards, Audi's new models for the global market will be fully electrified. By 2033, Audi will phase out the production of internal combustion engines; Accelerate the construction of a comprehensive EV ecosystem, with new operating systems and software platforms to empower autonomous driving by 2025; Expand the scope of after-sales service to areas such as smart hardware and predictive maintenance.
However, things didn't go as Audi expected.
One important factor is that the development of several electric vehicle projects of the Volkswagen Group, including Audi, has had to be delayed due to the slow progress of software development in the Volkswagen Group.
Previously, the launch of the Q6 e-tron and the Porsche Macan Electric, which were developed based on the PPE platform, has been postponed. According to the latest news, due to problems with the E3 2.0 software platform of the SSP platform, several electric vehicle projects of the Volkswagen Group have been postponed again.
In addition to the Volkswagen Group's own problems, the external market environment has also affected Audi's plans to promote electric vehicles.
Over the past two years, the growth potential of the world's major EV markets, with the exception of China, has not been strong. According to the data, in the first quarter of 2024, the proportion of hybrid, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles and pure electric vehicles in the total light vehicle (LDV) sales in the United States market fell to 18.0% from 18.8% in the fourth quarter of 2023. Among them, the share of battery electric vehicles in the total LDV market decreased from 8.1% in the fourth quarter of 2023 to 7.0% in the first quarter of 2024.
The Audi brand delivered 48,300 electric vehicles in Europe in the first half of the year, down 1.7 percent year-on-year, as subsidies for electric vehicles were cut or eliminated in some European markets.
Despite strong growth in electric vehicles in China, the Audi brand delivered 320,370 vehicles in the first half of the year, down 1.9 percent year-on-year. Audi said it is facing challenges from intensifying market competition and a shrinking high-end car market in China. According to public data, in 2023, the delivery of the Audi e-tron series in China will be only 31,025 units. For comparison, BMW, which is also in the BBA camp, sold nearly 100,000 electric vehicles in 2023.
Faced with both internal and external challenges, Audi CEO Gernot Döllner said that the next decade is expected to be a "transitional phase for the three relevant powertrains".
In fact, not only Audi, but also Mercedes-Benz, BMW, Ford, Porsche and other manufacturers have previously expressed the idea of adjusting their electrification strategies. The slowdown in demand for electric vehicles is the main reason.
The Volkswagen Group has said, "We have always adhered to the strategy of electrification. However, in the process of transformation, due to the different pace of market development around the world, we must be flexible in the layout of the powertrain. ”
Therefore, in the Chinese auto market, which is growing rapidly, Audi will also follow the development trend of the Chinese market.
不久前曝光的疑似内部规划显示,一汽奥迪计划未来3年将向中国市场推出31款新车,其中包括 RS e-tron GT、全新Q6L e-tron、Q6L轿跑e-tron和A6L e-tron四款纯电车。 2026年将推出SQ6 e-tron、S6轿跑e-tron、RSQ6 e-tron、A6轿跑e-tron、A6 Avant e-tron、RS6轿跑e-tron、RS6 Avant e-tron等11款纯电车型。
At this year's Beijing Auto Show, the FAW Audi Q6 e-tron was officially unveiled, and has completed pre-series production and will be launched next year. The A6 e-tron, also based on the PPE platform, will make its world premiere at the end of this month, and will also be produced locally by FAW Audi in the future.
At the same time, Audi's other joint venture in China, SAIC Audi, will cooperate with SAIC Motor to launch new all-electric vehicles.
In July this year, Audi and SAIC Motor agreed to quickly and efficiently expand their portfolio of intelligent and connected electric vehicles in the high-end market through joint development. It is reported that Audi will revamp the platform it has cooperated with SAIC and launch three new products, which are scheduled to be released in 2025. After 2025, Audi and SAIC will jointly develop a new platform. The new car, which is born on the new platform, is scheduled to be launched in 2027.
What is certain is that these new all-electric models will be Audi's bargaining chips to meet the "challenges of intensifying competition in the Chinese market and shrinking high-end car market". But the launch of these new cars will not change Audi's position in China's high-end car market.
It is still unclear whether these new pure electric models will stand out in the Chinese auto market, where NIO, Zeekr and Tesla are lined up. But in China's auto market, where new forces are rising, Audi will face a protracted battle.