That’s it Audi is done and dusted with the whole ICE (internal Combustion Engine) era. The four-ring branded maker of stylish cars will end production of petrol (gasoline), diesel and hybrid vehicles by 2026 according to reports by Reuters. From 2026 onwards it’s pure electric And Audi has no intentions of looking back. This is a bold move by Audi. The company could have stalled its exit from the ICE age for the purposes of extracting as much profit from petrol and diesel vehicle sales for as long as possible. They know they will need to focus on developing electric powertrains that are at least as efficient as Tesla. 

Audi has already stopped the development of next-generation ICE engines. This alone suggests, that behind the scenes, Audi is ramping up electric car vehicle research and development. As you may recall Audi, along with its domineering parent company Volkswagen got embroiled in the dieselgate scandal. For decades they shadow-boxed, claiming their diesel-engine technology was the cleanest ever developed. It wasn’t and, along with VW, Skoda and SEAT, they got caught out and fined to near oblivion. 

So Audi is going from an ICE age polluter to an expedited exit from the petrol and diesel-powered era. They could have dragged their feet but this news is surprising. Perhaps it is a calculated business decision. Start-up Electric car brands are seen as the next investment gold rush. By simply switching to an all-electric powertain Audi’s net value will rise considerably.